US-20260126259-A1 - APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ELECTRIC POWERED SIMULATED FIREARM EFFECTS AND EXTERNAL SIMULATION DATA INTERFACE

US20260126259A1US 20260126259 A1US20260126259 A1US 20260126259A1US-20260126259-A1

Abstract

Realistic physical weapon effects (e.g., haptic, audio, visual), when a user activates the trigger of a connected firearm simulator. Physical weapon effects include blowback, recoil, cartridge ejection, muzzle flash, muzzle rapport, and so on, but without bullet discharge or other potentially dangerous effects. Firearm simulators are especially useful for training military and law enforcement in various scenarios, providing a more realistic environment. The present approach advantageously enhances firearm simulators through the integration of realistic physical weapon effects that may be modified or tuned to different simulation weapons and different conditions.

Inventors

James T. Crawford
Andrew TIETZ

Assignees

THREAT TEC, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20231010

Claims (20)

1 . A firearm simulation device comprising: a housing, a trigger assembly connected to the housing, a barrel extending from the housing, a haptics module storing haptics instructions, a visual module storing visual instructions, an audio module storing audio instructions, a rate of fire selector switch, an electronic controller configured to receive an activation signal from the trigger assembly, haptics instructions from the haptics module, visual instructions from the visual module, audio instructions from the audio module, and a rate of fire selection from the rate of fire selector switch; and to execute haptics instructions, visual instructions, and audio instructions upon the activation signal; a simulation data interface configured to receive and store simulated firearm function data from the electronic controller, and a power supply configured to provide power to the first firearm simulation device.
2 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the haptics module further comprises a bolt system configured to activate a bolt assembly and generate a recoil force in the housing based on at least one of a trigger assembly activation, a rate of fire selector switch position, and the haptics module, wherein the recoil force simulates a firearm discharge event.
3 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to approximate the size and shape of a firearm receiver.
4 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the barrel further comprises at least one LED configured to emit light based on at least one of a trigger assembly activation, a rate of fire selector switch position, the haptics module, and the visual module, wherein the emitted light simulates a firearm discharge event.
5 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the barrel further comprises a water vapor outlet configured to emit a muzzle flare effect based on at least one of a trigger assembly activation, a rate of fire selector switch position, the haptics module, and the visual module, wherein the muzzle flare effect simulates a firearm discharge event.
6 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one speaker system configured to emit a firearm discharge sound based on at least one of a trigger assembly activation, the rate of fire selector switch position, the haptics module, and the audio module, the firearm discharge sound simulating a firearm discharge event.
7 . The firearm simulator of claim 6 , wherein the speaker is configured to emit the firearm discharge sound in sequence with a bolt assembly activation.
8 . The firearm simulator of claim 6 , wherein the bolt assembly activation, the light emittance, the muzzle flare effect, and the firearm discharge sound occur in a sequence configured to simulate a firearm discharge event.
9 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the haptics instructions, the visual instructions, and the audio instructions, are configured to simulate a firearm discharge event for a selected firearm.
10 . The firearm simulator of claim 9 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to receive simulated firearm profile data for a selected firearm, and modify at least one of the haptics instructions, the visual instructions, and the audio instructions, to simulate the selected firearm.
11 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the power supply receives power from at least one of a battery and an external power source.
12 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the haptics module further comprises an electric coil configured to apply a linear electromagnetic force on a weighted rod moveable within the coil against a spring, wherein the spring expands to force the weighted rod to a starting position when the electric coil is unpowered.
13 . The firearm simulator of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the coil, the weighted rod, and the spring are configured for replacement to modify the recoil force.
14 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the haptics module is configured to provide at least one of blowback, muzzle rise, and recoil based on at least one of a trigger assembly activation, a rate of fire selector switch position, and the haptics module.
15 . The firearm simulator of claim 1 , wherein the simulated firearm function data comprises at least one of total rounds fired, activation signal timing, charging handle position, cover state, loaded state, and orientation.
16 . A firearm simulation device comprising: a housing; a trigger assembly connected to the housing; a rate of fire selector switch connected to the housing; a barrel extending from the housing and having at least one LED configured to emit light when activated; a haptics module having a bolt system configured to activate a bolt assembly and generate a recoil force in the housing when activated; a visual module connected to the at least one LED and a fisheye lens reflector and a water vapor outlet configured to emit an ionized water vapor and illuminate the at least one LED when activated to create a muzzle flare effect; an audio module connected to at least one speaker system configured to emit a firearm discharge sound when activated; an electronic controller configured to receive an activation signal from the trigger assembly, activate at least one of the haptics module, the visual module, and the audio module; and a power supply configured to provide power to the first firearm simulation device.
17 . The firearm simulator of claim 16 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to generate simulated firearm function data comprising at least one of total rounds fired, activation signal timing, charging handle position, cover state, loaded state, and orientation; and further comprising a simulation data interface configured to receive and store simulated firearm function data from the electronic controller.
18 . The firearm simulator of claim 16 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to activate each of the haptics module, the visual module, and the audio module upon receiving the activation signal.
19 . The firearm simulator of claim 16 , further comprising a rate of fire selector switch configured to modify the frequency of the activation signal.
20 . The firearm simulator of claim 16 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to activate the bolt assembly activation, the light emittance, the muzzle flare effect, and the firearm discharge sound occur in a sequence configured to simulate a firearm discharge event.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS None. STATEMENT REGARDING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT None. FIELD The present disclosure relates to apparatus, systems, and methods for providing electric powered simulated firearm effects, including haptics, visual, and audio effects, and an external simulation data interface. BACKGROUND-INTRODUCTION Firearm training is an important element of safe and effective possession and use of firearms, for the military, law enforcement, and private citizens. Training with live firearms involves various risks and costs, especially if using live ammunition. Using blank ammunition (i.e., a cartridge without a projectile or bullet), is useful, but carries a significant cost. Further, the risk of accidentally including a live cartridge cannot be ignored. The use of firearm simulators has become common for training, particularly, military and law enforcement. Firearm simulators are designed to look and feel comparable to a genuine firearm, but do not operate in a manner that projects a bullet. Instead, the firearm simulator includes a mechanism to simulate the action of the particular firearm. Although useful, there is a considerable difference between firearm simulators and their genuine counterparts. For example, the bolt action, muzzle rapport and flash, cartridge ejection mechanism, and other aspects, are easily distinguishable. What is needed, then, is an improved firearm simulator that provides physical effects—movement, sound, and light—that more closely resembles the genuine firearm. BRIEF SUMMARY Described herein are apparatus, systems, and methods for providing electric powered simulated firearm effects with an integrated external simulation data interface. Preferred embodiments are referred to as the E-Sim Fire system, or simply E-Sim Fire. The E-Sim Fire system enables realistic physical weapon effects (haptic, audio, visual) and sends weapon function information (round fired, charging handle positions, cover state, loaded state, orientation) through a simulator data interface which connects to a simulator control module. In some embodiments, the simulator control module is operating on an external electronic device, such as a computer or smart device. When a trigger on the weapon simulator is pressed, this closes a circuit which in turn sends power into a rate of fire control which powers the various weapon effect modules at a variable cycle rate. The rate of fire control enables the user to adjust the on and off time of the cycle to tune it to specific weapon profile the system is mounted to. The Haptic module simulates the bolt movement through use of an electromagnetic coil that pulls a weighted rod with linear force when powered and a spring that returns the recoil when unpowered simulating the physical recoil of weapon. The Visual module simulates the visual signature of the sim fire event through a combination white and amber LEDs, fisheye lens reflectors and control ionized water vapor to create a physical 3D muzzle flare effect. The Audio module simulates the sound of the sim fire event by playing a playing recorded sound of the weapon system connected through an amplifier and tied to bass shaker style speakers mounted the front and rear of the receiver which times the sound to resonate through the simulator in physical sequence with the simulated bolt movement. The weapon function information is sent through a series of switches for each weapon function to be tracked that are tied into the simulator data interface single multi-wire plug interface that enables a simulation interfaced with this to know when the simulator fires a round, when the top cover is open, when a charging action happens, and/or when a round is loaded. Additionally, the data interface accepts an input that can arm or disarm the system based on the simulation, i.e., if the simulation says the user is out of rounds then the simulator will not fire until the user reloads the simulator and works through the required charging sequence. Embodiments of the present approach enable realistic physical weapon effects (including, e.g., haptic, audio, visual) when a user presses the trigger of a connected simulated firearm. One or more firearm simulator systems are connected to an apparatus deploying an embodiment of the system. Those systems send real time firearm function information, including but not limited to round fired, charging handle positions, cover state, loaded state, and orientation, into the simulator data interface which can tracks rounds fired and interrupts the firing sequence when the simulator ceases a simulation. The simulator data interface receives the real time firearm function information, and can also accept a variable number of additional circuit inputs requisite to the simulated firearm platforms functional requirements. Embodiments of the system can be configured to various weapon profiles, and tune the physical weapon effects to each individual weapon system. It should be appreciat