Search

EP-4740198-A1 - ELECTROMECHANICAL CUSHIONED LINEAR ACTUATOR FOR DYNAMIC SIMULATION AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEM

EP4740198A1EP 4740198 A1EP4740198 A1EP 4740198A1EP-4740198-A1

Abstract

Electromechanical cushioned linear actuator for dynamic simulation and related associated simulation system characterized in that said actuators are driven by an electric motor housed in a lower body, integral with an external reference system which, by means of a transmission system and a conversion system, imparts linear motion to an upper body. An electric motor being constrained to the external reference system, it is subjected to fewer stresses during operation, ensuring less wear and maintenance needs. Said electromechanical cushioned linear actuators are also controlled by software and an input-output hardware interface separate from the input-output interfaces dedicated to the simulation software, reducing the risk of simulation program crashes and giving the user a realistic and immersive experience.

Inventors

  • PEGORARO, Luca

Assignees

  • Mechit S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240627

Claims (12)

  1. 1. Electromechanical cushioned linear actuator for dynamic simulation, characterized in that it includes at least: • an upper body (102) comprising a connecting flange (101) and a coupling hole (110); • a lower body (107) comprising a conversion system (112), connected by means of a transmission system (105) and a recirculating ball screw (111) to an electric motor (106), to generate the movements and vibrations reproducing the dynamic experience established by a dedicated simulation software, with relative electrical connections (109) and a support base (108); • a spring interposed to the lower body (107) and the upper body (102) able to contribute to the increase in the useful life and efficiency of the electric motor and the actuator itself thanks to the drastic reduction of repeated stresses during use, as well as to the generation of the desired dynamic response; • an anti-rotation bar (104) designed to prevent the relative rotation of the upper body (102) - lower body (107) assembly; said upper body (102) being connectable to a mobile/movable frame representing a dynamic system to be reproduced and said lower body (107) being linked to an external reference system considered fixed/stationary, said electric motor (106) being stationary with respect to the external reference system, increasing its useful life and efficiency thanks to the drastic reduction of the repeated stresses during use.
  2. 2. Electromechanical cushioned linear actuator for dynamic simulation, according to claim 1, characterized in that it is mounted in a vertical arrangement/configuration, with the upper body (102) constrained by the connecting flange (101) to a mobile/movable frame representing the dynamic system to be reproduced and the lower body (107) resting on the ground through the support base (108), said lower body remaining in position due to the weight of the mobile/movable frame mounted/placeable above, without the need for further constraints.
  3. 3. Dynamic simulation system characterized in that it comprises a plurality of electromechanical cushioned linear actuators for dynamic simulation according to one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, variously arranged in order to control all or only some selected degrees of freedom of a mobile/movable frame (202) representing that part of a simulated vehicle which is integral with the driver, for the purposes of dynamic simulation.
  4. 4. Dynamic simulation system according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes dedicated software and input-output hardware interface (201), separate from the software and hardware dedicated to the dynamic simulation itself, said software and input-output hardware interface (201) being suitable for controlling said cushioned electromechanical actuators.
  5. 5. Dynamic simulation system according to claim 4, characterized in that the input-output hardware interface (201) of the control software of said system is a touch screen device placed in a position accessible to a user of the dynamic simulator but not interfering with the input-output hardware interfaces dedicated to the dynamic simulation itself.
  6. 6. Dynamic simulation system according to anyone of the preceding claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said control system is realized with appropriate software and hardware components adapted to manage, at the same time as the plurality of electromechanical cushioned linear actuators, the streaming of the game session via dedicated online platforms, web browsing through specific applications, consultation and comparison of real-time telemetry, management of frame lighting and user positions within the frame itself.
  7. 7. Dynamic simulation system according to anyone of the preceding claims 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that said input-output hardware interface (201) includes at least a video camera and a microphone adapted for recording video and audio of the user’s reaction to the simulation.
  8. 8. Dynamic simulation system according to claim 7, characterized in that said control software allows the streaming, through the use of an online platform, of the audio-video recordings of the user’s reaction to the simulation.
  9. 9. Dynamic simulation system according to anyone of the preceding claims 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the hardware interface of said control system is equipped with a physical connection system via cable or wireless, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, to connect a tablet or smartphone to be used as an input-output interface, through an appropriate app, of the control software of the plurality of cushioned linear actuators.
  10. 10. Dynamic simulation system according to the preceding claims 7, 8 and 9 characterized in that said physical connection system via cable or wireless allows the use of the video camera and/or microphone of a connected smartphone or tablet to record audio and/or video of the user’s reaction to the simulation and possibly transmit it in streaming via an appropriate online platform.
  11. 11. Dynamic simulation system according to anyone of the preceding claims from 3 onwards, characterized in that it comprises an audio system adapted for the emission of sound effects during simulation.
  12. 12. Dynamic simulation system according to anyone of the preceding claims from 3 onwards, characterized in that it comprises a system for the emission of steam or of gaseous substances in general, adapted for simulating the smoke generated by the loss of grip of the tires of a car, operated/activated by the simulation software, according to the needs of the dynamic simulation in execution.

Description

“Electromechanical cushioned linear actuator for dynamic simulation and associated system” Description Field of the invention The invention relates to the field of dynamic simulation of driving or control of vehicles of various kinds by means of software, with dynamic inputs which act on the user of the simulator. Prior art The field of simulation by means of driving or control software of vehicles such as cars, planes, trains or others is rapidly expanding thanks to the ever-improving development of support technologies and the simulation software itself. The use of such simulation systems is very vast and ranges in different levels of use, from amateur use for entertainment to professional use. Below are some examples where such use is very convenient and revolutionary. In training aircraft pilots, given the huge operating costs of the vehicles and the economic and human risk in some of the training phases, it is preferable to use a dynamic simulator which reproduces the same experience on land and without risks for the pilot nor for the instructor or for the vehicle itself, thus resulting in obvious economic and environmental advantages and a notable reduction in risk. In the field of preparation for car races, such dynamic simulation systems are used for driver training and for simulated testing of certain configurations on the car, also bypassing some logistical problems, such as testing a specific track without physically being in such a place or the limit, imposed in many championships and competitions, of testing hours on tracks. Given the operating cost of the simulator, which is very low with respect to the operating cost of a real racing car, it is also an advantage in terms of budget, so as not to exceed the economic limits that are set increasingly often with the aim of make competitions fairer. Lastly, mention is made of the entertainment and gaming sector, which is rapidly expanding in the market, where the use of these simulators provides an immersive and very real experience, every user can find themselves driving a vehicle which is not accessible to them in the real world, such as a Formula 1 car, and also participate in online competitions with other real users connected from different places. The success of this field is also evident from the following which some users have who stream their gaming sessions on various platforms, giving rise to a market which generates billions of euros in profits through direct and indirect revenues. Furthermore, the recent birth of e-sports makes the activity of dynamic simulation by means of software increasingly widespread and practiced at a professional level, generating the need for increasingly cutting-edge, realistic and efficient devices. In order for the experience to be truly immersive and real, the simulation software, whatever it may be, must be supported by hardware capable of reproducing the movement, stresses and vibrations which would be expected in the real simulated situation, for example, in the case of a car the vibrations transmitted by the vehicle in contact with uneven ground or the change of position during acceleration or braking phases, or in the case of an airplane the stress due to a landing or turbulence. Such an effect in general in the technical field is obtained by means of motorized actuators, almost exclusively by means of electric motors, which return linear movements in specific zones of a structure, called electromechanical linear actuators. The literature and industrial practice have a large number of devices of this kind: one such example is patent application WO2016134389A1 which describes a car driving simulator comprising a frame and a seat fixed thereto by means of electromechanical actuators which therefore generate movements and vibrations processed by the dynamic simulation software and transmits them to the seat and therefore to the user sitting thereon, or patent CN216412426U which defines a seat moved by an electromechanical actuator adapted to simulate the movements transferred to a human body sitting thereon from an airplane in flight, take-off or landing. In both cases mentioned, and in general in the literature found in this regard, the electromechanical actuators, driven by normal electric motors, are arranged with the motor connected to the movable part, this means that all the vibrations and movements generated by the motor are also transmitted to the motor itself, reducing the duration thereof over time, since the repeated stresses wear out the internal components such as the ball bearings and subject all the metal parts to a more accentuated fatigue phenomenon, which can lead to the failure of the piece or in any case to frequent replacement. The object of the present patent application is therefore to describe an electromechanical actuator with a motor arranged on the side constrained to the ground, or in general to the nonmovable part with an almost total reduction in the stresses undergone,