A device for providing acceleration cues to the helmet of a simulator pilot is described. Pulleys are attached to both shoulders of the pilot. A cable is attached to both sides of the helmet and extends through the pulleys to a takeup reel that is controlled by a torque motor. Control signals are applied to a servo system including the torque motor, the takeup reel and a force transducer which supplies the feedback signal. In one embodiment of the invention the force transducer is in the cable and in another it is in the takeup reel

Ashworth, B. R.

Clark, C. E.

Hall, A. C.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

United States Patent 1191 
Ashworth et al. 
[54] HELMET WEIGHT SIMULAOR 
[75] Inventors: Billy R. Ashworth, Newport News; 
Alton C. Hall; Clyde E. Clark, both of 
Gloucester, all of Va. 
represented by the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, Washington, D.C. 
[73] Assignee: The United States of America as 
[21] Appl. No.: 43,913 
[22] Filed: May 30, 1979 
[51] Int. ( 3 . 3  ................................................ G09B 9/08 
1521 U.S. Cl. ...................................................... 434/59 
[58] Field of Search .................. 35/12 E, 12 G, 12 H, 
35/12 R; 272/94; 73/432 SD 
1561 References Cited 
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 
3,309,795 3/1967 Helmore .............................. 35/12 E 
3,824,707 7/1974 Ashworth et al. .................. 35/12 E 
4,264,310 
[45] Apr. 28, 1981 
OTHER PUBLICATIONS 
Christensen et al., “Study to Tetermine Methods of 
Simulating Effects”, Armour Research Found. of IIT, 
Oct. 1958. 
Primary Examiner-Peter Chin 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard J. Osborn; John R. 
Manning; William H. King 
WI ABSTRACT 
A device for providing acceleration cues to the helmet 
of a simulator pilot. Pulleys are attached to both shoul- 
ders of the pilot. A cable is attached to both sides of the 
helmet and extends through the pulleys to a takeup reel 
that is controlled by a torque motor. Control signals are 
applied to a servo system including the torque motor, 
the takeup reel and a force transducer which supplies 
the feedback signal. In one embodiment of the invention 
the force transducer is in the cable and in another it is in 
the takeup reel. 
5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810019268 2020-03-21T09:41:24+00:00Z
U.S. Patent 
TORQUE MOTOR 
POWER C-- 
MOTOR AMPL I Fl ER 
Apr. 28, 1981 
+ 
ADDER +-- 
4,264,3 10 
1 
FIG. 4 
FIG. 2 
FIG. 3 
31 35 % 36 
34 
HELMET WEIGHT SIMULAOR 
4,264,3 10 
2 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE 
INVENTION 
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
ees of the United States Government and may be manu- 
factwed and used by Or for the Government for govern- 
mental Purposes without the Payment of any royalties 
thereon or therefor. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Turning now to the embodiments of the invention 
5 selected for illustration in the drawings, the number 11 
pilot 12 who is seated in a standard simulator seat 13. 
The pilot is secured to seat 13 by a standard lap belt 15 
and a standard shoulder harness 14. The shoulder har- 
10 ness 14 extends through an opening 16 in seat 13 to a 
standard inertial reel 17 for the shoulder harness. 
A cable 18 is attached to helmet 11 at 19 by any suit- 
The invention relates generally to simulators and able means. Cable 18 is attached lo both sides of the 
more specifically concerns apparatus for providing helmet such that it loops behind the neck of the pilot. 
acceleration cues to aircraft simulator pilots. 15 Small pulleys 20 are attached to the shoulder harness 14 
Acceleration cues play an important role in providing over both shoulders of the pilot. A cable 21 is attached 
an aircraft pilot infomation concerning the dynamic to cable 18 at the middle of the loop and extends back 
state of his aircraft. These acceleration cues are not through opening 16 to one side of a force transducer 22. 
present in fixed base and are only partially A cable 23 is attached to the other side of force trans- 
Pulleys 20 are located such that with cable 18 in the noticeable of the acceleration cues to an aircraft pilot pulleys and a force exerted on cable 18 by torque motor 
pressure on his buttocks and an increase in weight of his The downward pull on the helmet through the pulleys 
shoulder muscles. There are many simulators that Pro- ward pull (loosening) of the shoulder harness which is a 
vide increase in body weight acceleration cues; how- desired cue. 
ever, there is no known device that will adequately The force transducer 22 and the torque motor 25 are 
provide increase in helmet weight acceleration cues. connected in an electrical circuit as shown in FIG. 2 to 
The primary object of this invention is to provide a 30 control the downward force on helmet 11. The input 
device that adequately provides increase in helmet signal for controlling the downward force on helmet 11 
weight acceleration cues to a simulator pilot. is applied to the input of an adder 26. The output of 
Another object of this invention is to provide helmet adder 26 is applied through a power amplifier 27 to 
weight acceleration cues to a simulator pilot without torque motor 25. The resulting tension on cables 21 and 
interfering with or restricting the movements on the 35 23 causes force transducer 22 to produce an output 
signal which is fed back and subtracted from the input pilot. 
In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. appear obvious hereinafter and in the drawings. 1 and 2 the pilot’s movement is Uimited by the distance 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 40 between the pulleys 20 and the torque motor 25. In 
many compact arrangements this restriction requires The invention is a device for providing acceleration frequent adjustments. Also with this embodiment of the 
cues to the helmet of an aircraft simulator pilot. Pulleys invention it is necessary that electrical wires run along 
are attached to both shoulders of the simulator pilot. cable 23 to transducer 22. These deficiencies are cor- 
Cables are attached to both sides of the helmet and 45 rected in the embodiment of the invention shown in 
extend through the Pulleys to a takeup reel which is FIG. 3 by moving the force transducer into the take-up 
driven by a torque motor. In one embodiment of the reel in the form of a torque transducer sensing the force 
invention a force transducer is located in the cable and between the motor shaft and the takeup reel. 
produces a signal proportional to the tension on the In FIG. 3 a cable 30 is attached to a helmet 31 and 32 
cable. The signal produced by the force transducer is 50 by any suitable means. Cable 30 extends through a pul- 
used as the feedback in a servo and subtracts from the ley 33, attached to the shoulder harness 14 of the pilot, 
input command signals to the torque motor. In a second to a take-up reel 34 that is driven by torque motor 35. A 
and preferred embodiment of the invention the force torque transducer 36 is attached to takeup reel 34 and 
transducer is attached to the takeup reel and produces a Produces an electrical signa1 ProPortional to the force 
signal proportional to the torque on the takeup reel. In 55 between the motor shaft and the uakeup The torque 
The invention described herein was made by employ- in FIG. 1 designates a standard helmet on a simulator 
present in limited motion base simulators. The two most 2o ducer 22 and to the takeup 24 Of a torque motor 25’ 
are his increased body weight which greater 25 the resulting force on helmet 11 is straight down. 
helmet which causes an increased load on his neck and 25 attached to the shoulder harness also results in an up- 
Other objects and advantages of this invention will by adder 26. 
the second embodiment of the invention one complete 
device is used for each side of the helmet. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION O F  THE DRAWINGS 
transducer and torque motor are connected in an elec- 
trical circuit the same as or similar to that shown in 
FIG. 2. When the embodiment of the invention shown 
in FIG. 3 is used, one must be used for each of the two 
60 sides of the helmet. This not only provides more realis- 
embodiment tic forces on the pilot, but allows for differential force 
on each side of the helmet. 
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electrical circuitry FIG. 4 which is an enlarged cross-section 6 4  ofthe 
take-up reel 34 shows how the torque transducer is 
FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a second and Pre- 65 attached to the takeup reel. The takeup reel includes 
two cross pieces 37 and 38 with resistance elements 39, 
FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing how the force 40, 41 and 42 attached to the two ends of pieces 38 as 
shown. Resistance elements 39-42 change in resistance 
is a drawing Of a 
of the invention; 
used in the invention; 
ferred embodiment of the invention; and 
transducer is mounted on the takeup reel in FIG. 3. 
4,264,3 10 
3 4 
in accordance with the tension or compression they are 
subjected to. Resistance elements 39-42 are connected 
in a normal strain gage bridge which produces an elec- 
trical signal proportional to the force between the 
motor shaft and the takeup reel. 
cable means attached to both sides of said helmet and 
engaging and extending through said pulley means 
to said cable takeup reel means; 
transducer means for producing feedback electrical 
signals proportional to the tension in said cable 
is especially adapted for use with other devices for back and input electrical signals to said torque 
providing acceleration cues to simulator pilots. It pro- motor means thereby allowing free movement of 
vides helmet acceleration cues and does not interfere 10 the pilot’s head and whereby the tension on said 
cable means can be controlled while the pilot’s with the movements of the pilot. 
head is or is not in motion and in all different posi- It is to be understood that the forms of the invention 
tions. 
2. A device for providing acceleration cues according herewith shown and described are to be taken as pre- 
ferred embodiments. Various changes may be made in 15 to claim 1 wherein there is a separate transducer means, 
the shape, size and arrangement of parts without depart- torque motor means and cable means for each of the 
ing from the invention. both sides of said helmet. 
What is claimed is: 3. A device for providing acceleration cues according 
1. A device for providing acceleration cues to the to claim 1 wherein said transducer means is located in 
4. A device for providing acceleration cues according 
to claim 1 wherein said transducer means is located on 
said cable takeup reel means. 
5. A device for providing acceleration cues according 
signals proportional to the torque on said cable takeup 
reel means. 
means; and 
The advantages of this invention are numerous and it means for applying the difference between said feed- 
helmet of an aircraft simulator pilot in response to input 20 said cable means. 
electrical signals comprising: 
said simulator pilot; 
cable; 
reel means: 
pulley attached to both shoulder harnesses of 
cable takeup reel means for dispensing and retrieving 25 to claim 4 wherein said transducer means produces 
torque motor means for rotating said cable takeup * * * * *  
30 
35 
40 
4s 
50 
5s 
60 
65 


Helmet weight simulator

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