Magnetic Shifter Simulator Mechanism for Robust Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shifter simulator systems are inflexible and unable to handle significant forces applied during use, limiting the realism of the driving experience in simulator environments.
Innovation Solution
A shifter simulator system featuring a gear stick hinge, a moveable frame with magnetic contact surfaces, and adjustable levers, which allows for robust and flexible gear shifting by utilizing a tilting element and spring counterforce, ensuring stable performance and user-adjustable settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional shifter simulator systems use resilient pressure parts to provide shifter resistance, then the driver experience is improved, but the mechanism becomes inflexible and unable to handle significant forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical resilient pressure parts with a magnetic field-based resistance system. Electromagnets generate magnetic forces that provide shifter resistance without mechanical contact, eliminating the inflexibility and force-handling limitations of resilient pressure parts while maintaining driver experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts magnetic field strength parameters to provide variable resistance levels. By controlling the current to electromagnets, the system can adapt resistance forces in real-time, providing both improved driver experience and flexibility to handle significant forces applied during aggressive shifting.
2Force
If conventional shifter simulator systems use resilient pressure parts, then shifter resistance is provided, but the system becomes robustness-prone and may fail over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical resilient pressure parts that are prone to fatigue and failure by substituting them with an electromagnetic field system. The electromagnets and magnetic sensors provide force feedback and position detection without mechanical wear, significantly improving system reliability and stability over time.
3Reliability
If a robust shifter simulator system is designed to handle significant forces, then the system becomes more reliable, but the complexity of the mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing complex mechanical resilient pressure parts with electromagnets and magnetic sensors, the system achieves robustness through electromagnetic forces rather than mechanical complexity. The electronic control system manages force application, providing reliability without increasing mechanical mechanism complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a more realistic and durable driving experience with improved flexibility and stability, allowing for precise gear shifting and user customization, reducing the risk of damage from excessive force and maintaining performance over time.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic contact; and a tilting element configured for tilting around a tilting axis via a tilting connection in response to a movement of the gear stick and providing a first lever, and wherein the tilting element is provided with a first contact element and a second contact element configured for engaging the respective first and second contact surfaces of the moveable frame part providing a second lever, and by moving the moveable frame part defining a shifter movement with the magnetic contact
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A shifter simulator system for a simulator environment, simulator provided with such shifter simulator system and a method for operating such shifter simulator system. The shifter simulator system (2) comprises: - a frame (8) with a gear stick hinge (12); - a gear stick (4) that is hingedly connected to the frame via the gear stick hinge; - a moveable frame part (14) configured for moving relative to the frame and provided with a first and second contact surface s (16 a-b); - a magnetic contact (18) and; - a tilting element (24) configured for tilting around a tilting axis (26) via a tilting connection in response to a movement of the gear stick and providing a first lever (56), and wherein the tilting element is provided with a first and second contact element (42a-b) configured for engaging the respective first and second contact surfaces of the moveable frame part forming a second lever (58), and by moving the moveable frame part defining a shifter movement with the magnetic contact.