Aircraft Simulator Motion Seat Reducing Actuator Count
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current motion seat designs for flight simulators are cumbersome, expensive, and inefficient due to the requirement of multiple actuators for heave and roll motions, with no capability for fore and aft movement of the seat pan, leading to increased complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
The motion seat incorporates a third actuator for fore-and-aft motion of the seat pan, coupled with a bell crank assembly and bracket to produce forward and aft motion, reducing the number of actuators needed and simplifying the design while enabling surge, sway, heave, and roll movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple actuators are used for heave and roll motions, then motion control capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single actuator is designed to perform multiple functions by controlling both heave and roll motions through a linkage mechanism. The actuator connects to the seat pan via a linkage system that translates single-actuator movement into coordinated heave and roll motions, allowing one component to replace what traditionally required multiple actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
A linkage mechanism serves as an intermediary between the single actuator and the seat pan. This linkage system includes connecting rods and pivots that convert the linear motion of the actuator into the combined heave and roll motions of the seat pan, enabling complex motion patterns through a simple mechanical intermediary.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional motion seat design is used, then heave and roll motions are achieved, but fore and aft movement capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator-linkage system is designed to provide four degrees of freedom (heave, roll, surge, and sway) through a single actuator, making the system more versatile than traditional designs while maintaining simplicity. The linkage geometry is configured to enable fore-aft (surge) and side-to-side (sway) movements in addition to the traditional heave and roll motions.
Solution Approach 2:
The linkage mechanism employs dynamic geometric relationships where the positions and orientations of linkage components change during operation. This dynamic configuration allows the system to transition between different motion modes (heave, roll, surge, sway) without requiring separate actuators for each degree of freedom.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A motion seat for use in a vehicle motion simulator comprises a seat back, a seat pan, a first actuator coupled to a linkage assembly located on one side of the seat pan, a second actuator coupled to an identical linkage assembly on the other side of the seat pan, and a third actuator coupled to a linkage assembly on the aft end of the seat pan, wherein the first and second actuators are effective to independently produce roll right and roll left motion of the seat pan while collectively creating upward and downward heave motion of the seat pan and the third actuator is effective to create surge motion of the seat pan.