Flight simulator

Abstract

The invention relates to a flight simulator with a simulator cockpit (1), with a movement system (2; 3, 4, 5) for simulating movements of the simulator cockpit (1) and with a control device controlling same. The movement system (2; 3, 4, 5) is designed to transfer movements to the simulator cockpit (1), which is movably fixed to it, using the six degrees of freedom that exist for a rigid body. It consists of a first movement device (2), to be arranged on a horizontal contact surface, for generating translatory movements in the three given degrees of freedom, and a second movement device (3, 4, 5), in the form of pendulum and rotational kinematics system and movably connected to movable free ends (61; 62; 63;..., 6n) of said movement device (2) for generating movements in the three degrees of freedom for non-translatory movements. The second movement device (3, 4, 5), to which the simulator cockpit (1) is secured, consists of a circular guide element (5), on which two curved guide elements (3, 4) extending orthogonally to each other are movably mounted and guided.

Description

[0001] flight simulator

[0002] The invention relates to a flight simulator used to simulate the movements of a real aircraft, preferably for educational or training purposes. It particularly relates to a flight simulator for simulating the movements of an air taxi or flight taxi designed as a so-called VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing). However, it should be expressly noted that the invention is not limited to the aforementioned intended use, i.e., the simulation of the movements of an air taxi or flight taxi. Rather, the simulator can also be adapted and used to simulate the movements of any other aircraft, both civil and military.

[0003] Flight simulators have been around for a long time and are widely used in practice, particularly for the education and training of pilots, but also, where appropriate, other crew members. For example, they are used to train prospective pilots for flight simulations prior to their first real flight, practicing key operating actions and behaviors for piloting. They not only address the psyche of the person using them and train their cognitive abilities, but also allow them to experience the physical influences affecting them during various flight movements and maneuvers.

[0004] Although such simulators cannot completely replace training on real aircraft under actual flight conditions, they are a valuable and important complement to it. This also applies to the advanced training and continuing education of already licensed pilots. Their advantages include cost savings compared to training conducted exclusively under real conditions and, in some cases, the opportunity to try out certain flight maneuvers in a risk-free environment. In the advanced training of already licensed pilots, they play a role, among other things, in connection with training in the operation of new aircraft types.

[0005] Another major advantage is that flight simulators are often highly adaptable when it comes to training on newly introduced types of aircraft, and possibly even on entirely new types of aircraft. Of course, in individual cases, more extensive modifications to such a flight simulator may still be necessary.

[0006] For some time now, developments have been taking place that will significantly change the way people will move around in the future. This also applies to developments relating to air travel and the design of the aircraft used in it. Not only is there a trend toward shifting previously road-based transport more to rail, but there are also tendencies, particularly in passenger transport, to partially shift this transport to the air, even in connection with covering relatively short distances. A striking example of this is the rapid development in the field of so-called air or flying taxis.The majority of the underlying technical concepts are based on aircraft originally based on the helicopter concept, which has been further developed into aircraft collectively referred to as VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) or, occasionally, multicopters. In addition, there is a trend toward a transition to more environmentally friendly electric propulsion (eVTOL - electric VTOL).

[0007] A typical feature of the flight behavior of air taxis or flying taxis based on the VTOL concept is the fact that they are generally tilted slightly downwards in the direction of flight, i.e. at their nose, at an angle of typically 12 to 16°. This means that there is a need for flight simulators that can simulate this flight behavior. Currently known flight simulators are mostly based on the use of rod kinematics standing on the ground or on a horizontally aligned surface, with a simulator cockpit modeled on a real aircraft attached to the ends of the rods. Movements serving to simulate flight movements, which are generated by the movement device or rod kinematics, are transmitted to the aforementioned simulator cockpit.The vast majority of hexapods are used here. These are rod kinematics consisting of six rods mounted on swivel joints and which can be extended and retracted hydraulically, electrically or pneumatically. They transmit movements in the six degrees of freedom that exist for a rigid body to a simulator cockpit arranged on top of them.

[0008] However, with regard to the aforementioned inclination of the flight cabin in air taxis or flying taxis based on the VTOL principle, certain problems often arise when using a corresponding rod kinematics or a hexapod. These problems arise because factory halls with a frequently encountered standard height of 3.80 m are too low for the required movements of the rod kinematics to accommodate the movements of a slightly forward-tilted simulator cockpit.Or, if the rods of the rod kinematics are shortened accordingly, the problem arises that a simulator based on this would fit into a factory hall with standard height, but the simulator cockpit would touch the ground with its nose when simulating the flight movement encountered in an air or flying taxi, with the cabin tilted in the direction of flight, or the shortened travel paths of the rod kinematics would not be sufficient to achieve the required simulation effect.

[0009] EP 2 715 702 B1 discloses a device for the spatial movement of persons for simulation purposes, consisting of two movement components. In this device, a simulator cabin movable about three axes of rotation is arranged on a support element connected to a hexapod standing on the ground. However, the device is not optimized with regard to the installation space available in factory halls with standard height. Furthermore, in the solution described in the document, the axes of rotation for the simulator cabin intersect within the cabin, whereby the rigid position of this intersection point means that the (imaginary) pendulum point around which the simulator cabin oscillates when executing (simulating) rolling and / or tilting movements is also always located within the cabin. However, this does not correspond, among other things, to the conditions occurring in aircraft in the form of so-called VTOLs, such as air taxis or flying taxis in particular.

[0010] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a flight simulator that solves or avoids the aforementioned problems. Such a flight simulator should be particularly suitable for use in factory halls with a standard height and for simulating the flight behavior of air taxis or flying taxis based on the VTOL principle, but also with potentially very different designs, and with a nose that is generally inclined downwards in the direction of flight.

[0011] This object is achieved by a flight simulator having the features of patent claim 1, wherein the structure of the claim, by means of features marked with a line, expresses an AND connection between these features and the remaining features of the claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the flight simulator according to the invention are provided by the subclaims.

[0012] The flight simulator proposed to solve the problem comprises an open or closed simulator cockpit, a motion system for simulating movements of the simulator cockpit, and a control device controlling the motion system. The term "cockpit" or "simulator cockpit" is used here as a generic term and refers to a simulator cabin (closed simulator cockpit) or a simulator cockpit (open simulator cockpit). The proposed solution explicitly refers to both options (closed simulator cabin, preferably with a built-in cockpit, or simply an open cockpit). The particular variant used in the practical implementation of the solution (cabin or cockpit) or the particular specific design of the simulator cockpit is irrelevant to the invention. Therefore, in the following, we will generally refer to a "simulator cockpit."

[0013] The motion system of the proposed simulator is designed to impart movements to the attached simulator cockpit using the six degrees of freedom (6 DoF) inherent in a rigid body. The simulator cockpit, which is preferably modeled after the cabin or cockpit of a real aircraft, such as the cabin of an air taxi / flying taxi—also known as urban air mobility—can be equipped with various technical features.

[0014] Typically, the simulator cockpit, or as a component thereof, replicates the cockpit of a corresponding aircraft, on which at least one person being trained or instructed in the use of the aircraft can use designated control units and controls to control the simulated aircraft and to carry out cockpit procedures and flight maneuvers. Preferably, several displays are arranged in or on the simulator cockpit, or a projection system is arranged in front of it, on which or which the at least one training person (hereinafter referred to as one person for the sake of simplicity) can be shown images of the respective environment of the aircraft during a flight in the form of virtual reality. Alternatively, the training can also be conducted using VR or MR glasses worn by the training person, which replace or supplement the displays.According to the proposed solution, the aforementioned motion system consists of two motion devices. It consists of a first motion device standing on a horizontally extending support surface, such as, in particular, a hall floor, which is designed to generate movements with respect to at least the three degrees of freedom provided for translational movements. Furthermore, the motion system consists of a second motion device connected to movable free ends of the first motion device, which is designed as a pendulum and rotation kinematics. This second motion device serves to generate movements with respect to the three degrees of freedom provided for non-translational movements. The simulator cabin is movably attached to the second motion device, which is designed as a pendulum and rotation kinematics.

[0015] Insofar as the first movement device of the movement system is designed at least, that is to say in any case, to generate movements in the three degrees of freedom provided for translational movements, this means that this movement device, with regard to the simulator cockpit, either actually only provides translational movements or, depending on its concrete design or depending on the respective practical implementation of the solution proposed here, controlled by the control device, of the movements made available by it, preferably only movements in the three translational degrees of freedom (forward / backward = x-direction, left / right = y-direction and up / down = z-direction) are used.However, it is also conceivable that other movement modes supported by the first movement device beyond the translational movements are also used, but, again controlled by the control device, individual or all of these movement modes are only available to a limited extent with regard to their angular range.

[0016] The first movement device is preferably designed as a rod kinematics system, with the second movement device of the movement system being movably connected to the free rod ends of this rod kinematics system via a connecting plate (a mechanical interface). The rods of the rod kinematics system are each mounted on a pivot joint in the area of ​​the support surface and their length can be adjusted by means of a drive.

[0017] As already explained, the first movement device, or rather the rod kinematics, is designed to impart to the simulator cockpit, which is attached to it via the second movement device, at least movements in the three degrees of freedom provided for translational movements. These are movements in the X-direction (forward or backward) and in the Y-direction (left or right) of the horizontal plane of the support surface for this first movement device, and movements in the orthogonal Z-direction, i.e., upward or downward movements, or lifting and lowering movements. Such movements can be realized or provided, for example, with the help of a tripod movement device.

[0018] However, the use of a hexpod, i.e., a six-post motion system or a six-rod kinematics, is also possible, although this option is particularly preferred due to the high flexibility it offers. In principle, such a hexapod makes it possible to impart movements in all six degrees of freedom that exist for a rigid body to a simulator cockpit attached to it.In the proposed flight simulator, however, a corresponding hexapod is controlled by the control device belonging to the simulator in such a way that the hexapod either only transmits movements relating to the three translational degrees of freedom possible for a rigid body to the simulator cockpit or, in the case of non-translational movements also being made available, preferably (not mandatory - can, if necessary, be made dependent on the installation location of the simulator and the spatial conditions there), at least for pitching movements generated by the hexapod, the angular range is restricted compared to the angular range made available for this purpose by the second movement device.

[0019] Movements in the three other degrees of freedom, defined for non-translational (i.e., rotational) movements, are transmitted, following the basic principle of the proposed solution, to the simulator cockpit, which is attached to the cockpit, by the second movement mechanism belonging to the movement system and designed as a pendulum and rotation kinematics. These movements are referred to as pitch, roll, or yaw. In relation to movements performed by the simulator cockpit in simulation of the movements of an aircraft, the aforementioned movements are a tilt (pitch) of the simulator cockpit forward or backward, a lateral roll of the simulator cockpit, or a rotation (yaw) of the simulator cockpit around the Z-axis, namely around a vertical axis, along or parallel to which the simulator cockpit moves upwards and downwards.

[0020] The second movement device, i.e., the movement device generating the movements in the three non-translational degrees of freedom, is formed by a circular (at least almost forming a full circle) guide element extending parallel to the contact surface of the first movement device, and by two circular segment-shaped guide elements extending orthogonally or transversely to each other. The latter are also referred to as arcuate in the patent claims and below to distinguish them from the aforementioned circular or at least almost fully circular guide element for yaw.

[0021] The two arcuate guide elements, which are themselves movably mounted and guided in or on the first-mentioned circular guide element, are preferably concave in shape with respect to their cross-section in the direction of extension. These two circular segments, which stand upright on the first-mentioned guide element connected to the first movement device or the rod kinematics and on the circular guide track formed thereby, also each form a guide track.

[0022] A first of the two curved guide elements is mounted on the other (second) curved guide element in such a way that the first guide element, and with it the simulator cockpit, can execute movements along the other (second) curved guide element. The second curved or circular segment-shaped guide element, in turn, is movably mounted and guided in or on the guide element, which forms at least approximately a full circle, preferably also has a concave cross-section, and is connected to the free ends of the first movement device or the rod kinematics. However, it is irrelevant which of the two intersecting curved guide elements is considered the first or second guide element. The above ordinal numbers or ordinal number words do not indicate a sequence in this respect.

[0023] Due to their arrangement on the circular guide element (which at least approximately forms a full circle), the two circular-segment-shaped guide elements can jointly execute a rotary movement, which is guided along this circular guide element, which extends parallel to the contact surface of the first movement device. The simulator cab, which is fixed to the curved guide element and is movable in or on the other curved guide element extending transversely to it, is guided. The special design of the described simulator according to the invention results in an overall flat construction, also suitable for use in factory halls with a standard height of 3.80 m.

[0024] The other elements (other guide elements or simulator cockpit) guided in or on the guide elements (circular guide element and curved guide elements) are movable within these guide elements, preferably by means of linear drives controlled accordingly by the simulator's control system. This means that the simulator cockpit is movable in or on an upper of the two curved (circular segment-shaped) guide elements—guided by the respective guide element—wherein this curved guide element, in turn, is movable in or on the other lower curved (circular segment-shaped) element extending transversely to it, which in turn is movable, guided together with the first-mentioned curved guide element, in or on the circular (at least almost forming a full circle) guide element.

[0025] The radii of the curved guide elements of the second motion device are dimensioned according to the geometry of an aircraft whose flight behavior is to be simulated. From a practical perspective, these radii are dimensioned in such a way that they determine the height of a common oscillation point, namely the height of the point around which the simulator cockpit oscillates relative to the oscillation point of the real aircraft, both during the simulation of rolling movements and during the simulation of pitching movements. The height of this oscillation point is determined by the radius of one curved guide element for the simulation of rolling movements and by the radius of the other curved guide element for the simulation of pitching movements.Accordingly, the relationship between these two radii is chosen in such a way that the pendulum points for the rolling movement on the one hand and the tilting movement on the other hand, which otherwise could fundamentally fall apart, overlap to a certain extent and thus correspond to the pendulum point of the real aircraft.

[0026] A key advantage of the described design is that the radii of the two curved guide elements can be dimensioned such that the aforementioned common pendulum point for roll and tilt movements can be located above the simulator cockpit, unlike, for example, the solution already mentioned according to document EP 2 715 702 B1, which is particularly typical for VTOL. The height of the pendulum point can be variably determined during the planning and construction phase of a corresponding simulator in accordance with the flight behavior of the aircraft to be simulated—namely, by dimensioning the radii of the curved guide elements of the second movement device to provide non-translational movements.The principle here is that as the radius of a respective curved guide element increases, the pendulum point moves away from the rod kinematics of the first movement device, thus increasing its height relative to the horizontal contact area of ​​the simulator, and vice versa. This allows a wide variety of pendulum points of various aircraft to be realistically simulated, resulting in significantly improved reproduction or simulation of their respective flight behavior.

[0027] When determining the absolute size of the radii of the curved guide elements (required for the specific aircraft to be simulated), the special design of the invention allows for considerable flexibility while maintaining the ratio required to create a common pendulum point for the pendulum and rotation kinematics. This is particularly true with regard to the lowest possible overall height of the simulator, which allows its use even in standard-height factory halls. Naturally, the previously mentioned geometric dimensions, such as the radii of the curved guide elements and their ratio (and consequently also the height of the pendulum point), cannot be changed during operation of the simulator.Rather, they are determined during its manufacture or in connection with its installation at the site of use or in the course of any conversion, in particular of the second movement device for the non-translational movements, corresponding to the pendulum point of the original aircraft.

[0028] In the second movement device designed in the manner described for providing non-translational movements, i.e. in the movement device consisting of the circular guide element and the two arc-shaped or circular segment-shaped guide elements, the simulator cabin can be arranged above the circular guide element and guided movably or below this circular guide element, i.e. hanging on one of the arc-shaped guide elements.

[0029] The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention and explained with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0030] Fig. 1: A first possible embodiment of the simulator according to the invention with a hexapod in a frontal view of the simulator cockpit, Fig. 2: the embodiment according to Fig. 1 in a frontal view of the simulator cockpit performing a rolling movement,

[0031] Fig. 3: the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2 in a side view with the simulator cockpit performing a pitch movement,

[0032] Fig. 4: the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 3 in a plan view,

[0033] Fig. 5: a variant similar to the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 4.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a possible embodiment of the flight simulator according to the invention in a frontal view of the simulator cockpit 1, which in the example shown is the closed cabin of an air taxi. The simulator essentially consists of a motion system 2; 3, 4, 5 and the simulator cockpit 1 attached thereto, as well as a control device (not shown in the illustration) and drives controlled by the control device (also not shown). The motion system 2; 3, 4, 5 is designed to impart movements to the simulator cockpit with respect to the six degrees of freedom (6DoF) possible for a rigid body.

[0035] Following the basic principle of the proposed solution, the movement system 2; 3, 4, 5 consists of two movement devices, of which a first movement device 2, designed here as a hexapod, imparts at least movements in the three translational degrees of freedom given to a rigid body to the simulator cockpit 1, which is fixed to the movement system 2; 3, 4, 5 but movable along the curved guide element 4. The known hexapod (movement device 2) is a rod kinematics, the six rods of which are each mounted on the floor or on a horizontal base surface (support surface) via universal joints 7i; 72; 7s; ..., 76, and whose length can be changed using linear drives (not shown, as explained).

[0036] At the ends of the rods of this hexapod, the second movement device 3, 4, 5, which provides movements in the three non-translational and rotational degrees of freedom, respectively, is movably mounted. In the example shown, this second movement device 3, 4, 5 is implemented by two arc-shaped or circular segment-shaped guide elements 3, 4 extending transversely to one another, which in turn are movably mounted on an almost fully circular guide element 5 (not visible here - see Fig. 4). The simulator cabin 1 is movably guided in or on the upper of the two arc-shaped guide elements 3, 4, for example with the aid of roller, plain, or ball bearings, and can therefore move out of or into the plane of the drawing in or on this guide element 4, as shown in the illustration.

[0037] This upper, curved guide element 4, in turn, is movably mounted in or on the second, transversely extending circular movement element 3 below it. Here, too, the movable mounting can be realized by means of roller, plain, or ball bearings, for example, running within the concavely shaped guide element 3. Both curved guide elements 3, 4 together are movably mounted in or on the almost fully circular guide element 5 located below it (see Fig. 4). The second movement device 3, 4, 5 with the curved guide elements 3, 4 and the circular or almost fully circular guide element 5 can impart movements in the three rotational degrees of freedom, i.e., yaw, roll, and tilt, to the simulator cockpit 1.

[0038] In Fig. 2, the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is also shown in a frontal view of the simulator cockpit 1, wherein rolling movements for the simulator cockpit 1 are simulated by movements of the upper curved guide element 4 along the lower curved guide element 3. During such rolling movements, the simulator cockpit 1 (here, the simulator cabin) is tilted laterally toward the vertical, as can be seen from the figure.

[0039] Figure 3 shows the embodiment according to Figures 1 and 2 again in a side view, whereby, for the sake of simplicity, only two of the six rods of the hexapod forming the first movement device 2 are shown. According to the movement situation shown, the simulator cockpit 1 is tilted downwards with its tip, i.e., the nose, by a corresponding movement within the upper circular segment-shaped guide element 4, thus performing a pitching movement.

[0040] Fig. 4 shows the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 again in a plan view of the overall arrangement. This clearly shows the details of the second movement device 3, 4, 5, which is movably connected to the hexapod. Also clearly visible is the circular (almost fully circular) guide element 5, on which the two arcuate guide elements 3, 4 extending transversely to one another are mounted for executing yaw movements of the simulator cockpit 1. The control device (not shown) operates the movement system 2 such that movements in the three translational degrees of freedom are generated by the hexapod, while movements using the three rotational (non-translational) degrees of freedom are not supported or are only supported to a limited extent by the hexapod.In the latter case, in which movements with respect to the three non-translational degrees of freedom are also provided by the hexapod or imparted to the simulator cockpit 1, pitching movements of the simulator cockpit 1 caused at least by the movement device 2 can preferably be restricted in their angular range compared to the movements imparted to the simulator cockpit 1 by the second movement device 3, 4, 5 in the three non-translational degrees of freedom.The movements generated by the first movement device 2 and by the second movement device 3, 4, 5 with respect to the three rotational (non-translational) degrees of freedom are therefore superimposed on one another by the control system in a reinforcing manner, whereby, however, the risk of the simulator cockpit 1 touching the ground, which was mentioned at the beginning in the presentation of the prior art, can be avoided by means of an angular restriction of the first movement device 2, at least with regard to pitching movements.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a variant of the embodiment of the simulator according to the invention previously explained with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In this embodiment, the second movement device 3, 4, 5 and, with it, the simulator cabin 1 are mounted on the first movement device 2 in a downwardly suspended manner.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Flight simulator with an open or closed simulator cockpit (1), with a movement system (2; 3, 4, 5) for simulating movements of the simulator cockpit (1) and with a control device controlling the movement system (2; 3, 4, 5), wherein the movement system (2; 3, 4, 5) is designed to impart movements to the simulator cockpit (1) fixed to it using the six degrees of freedom existing for a rigid body, characterized in that the movement system (2; 3, 4, 5) consists of two movement devices, namely a first movement device (2) to be arranged on a horizontal contact surface for generating movements at least in the three degrees of freedom given for translational movements and a second movement device with movable free ends (61; 62; 63;..., 6ß) a second movement device (3, 4, 5) which is movably connected to the first movement device (2), which second movement device is designed as a pendulum and rotation kinematics for generating movements in the three degrees of freedom given for non-translatory movements and to which the simulator cockpit (1) is fixed, wherein the second movement device (3, 4, 5) is a circular guide element (5) extending parallel to the contact surface of the first movement device (2), in or on which two arc-shaped, i.e. circular segment-shaped, guide elements (3, 4) extending orthogonally and thus transversely to one another are movably mounted and guided;one of the arcuate guide elements (3, 4), in or on which the simulator cockpit (1) is movably mounted and guided, is in turn movably mounted and guided in or on the other arcuate guide element (4, 3), which is itself mounted and guided in or on the circular guide element (5); 2. Flight simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the radii of the two arcuate guide elements (3, 4) are dimensioned in accordance with the geometry of an aircraft whose flight behavior is to be simulated, by determining the height of a common pendulum point, namely the height of the point around which the simulator cockpit (1) pendulums when simulating rolling and tilting movements provided by the second movement device (3, 4, 5), the height of this pendulum point being determined by the radius of one arcuate guide element (3) with regard to the simulation of rolling movements and by the radius of the other arcuate guide element (4) with regard to the simulation of tilting movements.

3. Flight simulator according to claim 2, characterized in that the radii of the two arcuate guide elements (3, 4) are dimensioned such that the pendulum point for rolling and tilting movements is located above the simulator cockpit (1).

4. Flight simulator according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the simulator cockpit (1) is arranged and movably guided above the circular guide element (5) of the second movement device (3, 4, 5) designed as a pendulum and rotation kinematics, said guide element extending parallel to the contact surface of the first movement device (2).

5. Simulator according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first movement device (2) is designed as a rod kinematics with a respective rotary joint (7i; 72; 7s; ..., 7 n) in the area of ​​the contact surface and whose length is variable by means of a drive, with their free ends (61; 62; 63; ... , 6 n ) the second movement device (3, 4, 5) is movably connected.

6. Flight simulator according to claim 5, characterized in that the first movement device (2) is a tripod.

7. Flight simulator according to claim 5, characterized in that the first movement device (2) is a hexapod which is controlled by the controller to generate translational movements acting on the simulator cockpit (1) as well as movements in the three degrees of freedom given for non-translatory movements, wherein at least pitching movements of the simulator cockpit (1) generated by the first movement device (2) are restricted in their angular range compared to the movements imparted to the simulator cockpit (1) by the second movement device (3, 4, 5) in the three non-translatory degrees of freedom.

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