JP2005173317A - Driving simulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a simulated driving without impairing an actual operation feeling of a vehicle and to reduce a manufacturing cost.
SOLUTION: A game device 4 having a rotatable game steering wheel 2, a full size actual size steering wheel 5 in a vehicle, and a conversion gear for rotatingly connecting the full size steering wheel 5 and the game steering wheel 2 at a predetermined reduction ratio. 6, and in the simulated driving using the game apparatus 4, the operation of the full-size steering 5 similar to that of an actual vehicle is required.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a driving simulator for simulating driving of a vehicle equipped with a steering.

Conventionally, a driving simulator for simulating driving of a vehicle has been put into practical use. In a driving simulator, steering, pedals, shift levers, and the like similar to those in a real vehicle are installed, and a simulated image is projected in front of a simulated driver's seat according to these operation states (for example, patents) Reference 1).
JP 2002-31807 A

However, the driving simulator has an advantage that the periphery of the driver's seat can be configured in the same manner as an actual vehicle, but has a problem that the manufacturing cost increases.
Therefore, it is conceivable to simulate driving of a vehicle using a game device. In this case, the game steering, pedals, and the like are operated. That is, for the test subject, the simulated driving is performed with an operation feeling completely different from the operation feeling in an actual vehicle, and there is a problem that the effect of driving training cannot be expected so much.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to perform a simulated operation without impairing the sense of operation of an actual vehicle and to reduce manufacturing costs. It is to provide a driving simulator that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the driving simulator, a game apparatus having a rotatable game steering is provided, and a full-size full-size steering in a vehicle, the full-size steering, and the game And a conversion gear that pivotally connects the steering wheel at a predetermined reduction ratio.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the full-size steering is rotated, the rotation operation is transmitted to the game steering via the conversion gear. At this time, the reduction ratio of the conversion gear should be adjusted so that the rotation angle of the full-size steering and the operation angle of the vehicle on the game via the game steering are matched with those of the actual vehicle. Is preferred.
As a result, the subject can perform simulated steering of the vehicle by full-size steering, and can perform simulated driving in a state close to the actual operational feeling of the vehicle. Further, since the game apparatus can be used as it is except for the operation unit such as the full-size steering, the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional case.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the driving simulator according to the first aspect, the game device has a game pedal that can be tilted about a lower end, and the game pedal is inverted upside down to tilt about an upper end. It is characterized by having comprised.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the action of the first aspect, when the game pedal is tilted, the pedal relating to the accelerator, the brake and the like is depressed even in the vehicle on the game. In the present invention, since the game pedal tilting up and down about the lower end is inverted upside down, during simulation operation, the lower end side moves back and forth around the upper end side of the inverted pedal and tilts. . Here, in an actual vehicle, the pedal relating to the accelerator, the brake, etc. is fixed to the partition wall panel of the vehicle via a bracket or the like so that the upper end side can freely rotate, and the lower end side moves back and forth around the upper end side. Therefore, the test subject can perform the simulated driving in a state close to the operation feeling of the actual pedals of the vehicle.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the driving simulator according to the first or second aspect, the game steering and the full-size steering are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with respect to a rotation axis direction, and the conversion gear is The game steering side and the full-size steering side are directly connected to each other.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first or second aspect, since the full-size steering and the game steering are directly connected, the respective steering wheels rotate in the opposite directions at the connection portion. Here, since the full-size steering and the game steering are arranged in opposite directions, the direction of rotation of the wheel portion of each steering is said to be clockwise when one wheel portion is clockwise. As a result, it becomes the same direction.
That is, only the speed reduction function is required for the conversion gear, and the conversion function for the rotation direction is not required. Therefore, for example, it can be configured by a gear or the like directly formed on each steering, and the conversion gear connecting each steering can be simplified to realize further reduction in manufacturing cost.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the driving simulator according to any one of the first to third aspects, the full-size steering is rotated before the game steering reaches the end point of the allowable rotation angle. It is provided with a stopper mechanism for regulating.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the operation of any one of claims 1 to 3, by providing the stopper mechanism, the full-size steering is rotated until the game steering becomes the rotation allowable angle. The game steering can be protected appropriately.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the full-size steering while using the game apparatus, it is possible to perform the simulated driving without impairing the sense of operation of the actual vehicle, and to reduce the manufacturing cost. be able to.

  1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a driving simulator, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the driving simulator, and FIG. 3 is a game steering and game pedal. It is an external perspective view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the driving simulator 1 includes a game device 4 having a game steering 2 and a game pedal 3, and uses the game device 4 to cause a subject to perform simulated driving. The driving simulator 1 includes a full-size steering 5 in a vehicle, and a conversion gear 6 that rotationally connects the full-size steering 5 and the game steering 2 with a predetermined reduction ratio. In the present embodiment, the subject seated in the simulated driver's seat 7 is disposed in front of the simulated driver's seat 7 by operating the full-size steering 5 and the game pedal 3 having the accelerator pedal 3a and the brake pedal 3b. The simulated driving is performed while recognizing the simulated vehicle state from the image of the monitor 8. Although not specifically illustrated, the simulated driver's seat 7 and the monitor 8 are surrounded by a frame such as a pillar portion in the same manner as the actual vehicle, and the field of view of the subject sitting on the simulated driver's seat 7 is the same as that of the actual vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the game apparatus 4 is for a general household in which the apparatus main body 4 a is formed in a box shape, and is arranged on the feet of a subject who sits on the simulated driver's seat 7. As shown in FIG. 2, the game apparatus 4 includes a control unit 100 to which operation states of the game steering 2 and the game pedal 3 are input. The control unit 100 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, etc., an I / O interface 104 electrically connected to the game steering 2, the game pedal 3, the monitor 8, etc. And a data reading unit 106 such as a disk drive into which a storage medium 105 such as a CD or DVD can be inserted. In the present embodiment, the game apparatus 4 is shown for home use, but for an arcade in which the game steering 2, the game pedal 3, the simulated driver's seat 7, and the monitor 8 are integrally configured. It may be a thing.

  The game apparatus 4 monitors the vehicle state calculated according to the operation states of the game steering 2 and the game pedal 3 based on the driving simulation program stored in the ROM 102 or the storage medium 105 and predetermined vehicle type data. 8 is projected. The rotation allowable angle of the wheel portion 2a of the game steering 2 is smaller than 360 °, and the wheel portion 2a is configured not to make one complete rotation. In the present embodiment, both the left and right rotation directions reach the maximum allowable angle when rotated 90 ° from the neutral state. Accordingly, the steering angle per rotation angle of the wheel portion 2a is set to be larger than the actual vehicle so that the steering angle at the minimum turning radius of the vehicle is within the allowable rotation angle of the wheel portion 2a. Has been.

  The full-size steering 5 is configured in the same manner as the actual product with respect to the driving operation including the diameter of the wheel portion 5a. The conversion gear 6 includes a gear 6 a formed on the column portion 5 b of the full-size steering 5 and a gear 6 b formed on the column portion 2 b of the game steering 2 in mesh with the gear 6 a. In the present embodiment, the steering wheels 2 and 5 are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with respect to the extending direction of the column portions 2b and 5b in the rotation axis direction.

  That is, since the gears 6a and 6b are directly meshed with each other, the column portions 2b and 5b are rotated in directions opposite to each other. The reduction ratios of the gears 6a and 6b are determined so that the rotation angle of the wheel portion 5a of the full-size steering 5 and the steering angle of the vehicle displayed on the monitor 8 coincide with the actual vehicle. In the present embodiment, in an actual vehicle, when the wheel portion 5a is rotated by 900 ° (2.5 rotations), the maximum steering angle is reached, so that the rotation angle is from the full-size steering 5 to the game steering 2. Each gear 6a, 6b is configured to be decelerated to 1/10.

  In the present embodiment, a stopper mechanism 9 is provided that restricts the rotation of the full-size steering 5 before the game steering 2 reaches the end point of the allowable rotation angle. The stopper mechanism 9 is composed of, for example, a pinion formed in the column portion 5b and a rack meshing with the pinion, and restricts the range of movement of the rack. Thus, the rotation of 5 is restricted.

  In the driving simulator 1 of this embodiment, the game pedal 3 is used as it is as a pedal operation part by the subject in a state where the game pedal 3 is inverted up and down. That is, the pedals 3a and 3b are turned upside down and tilted around the upper end side.

  In the driving simulator 1 configured as described above, when the full-size steering 5 rotates, the rotation operation is transmitted to the game steering 2 via the conversion gear 6. At this time, the reduction gear ratio of the conversion gear 6 is adjusted so that the turning angle of the full-size steering 5 and the operation angle of the vehicle on the game via the game steering wheel 2 match the actual vehicle. Therefore, the subject is required to perform a steering turning operation similar to that of an actual vehicle.

  When the game pedal 3 is tilted, the accelerator pedal 3a and the brake pedal 3b are stepped on even in the vehicle on the game. In the present invention, since the gaming pedal 3 tilting around the lower end is turned upside down, during simulation operation, the lower end side moves back and forth around the upper end side of the inverted pedal and tilts. Become. Here, in an actual vehicle, the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal are fixed to the partition wall panel of the vehicle via a bracket or the like so that the upper end side is rotatable, and the lower end side moves back and forth around the upper end side.

  Accordingly, the subject can perform simulated steering of the vehicle by the full-size steering 5, and can perform simulated driving in a state close to the sense of operation of pedals of an actual vehicle. Since the game apparatus 4 can basically be used as it is except for the operation unit such as the full-size steering 5, the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional case.

  Moreover, according to the driving simulator 1 of the present embodiment, since the full-size steering 5 and the game steering 2 are directly connected, the respective steering wheels 2 and 5 rotate in opposite directions at the connection portion. Here, since the full-size steering 5 and the game steering 2 are arranged in opposite directions, the direction of rotation of the wheel portions 2a and 5a of each steering is clockwise when one of the wheel portions 2a and 5a is clockwise. The other wheel portions 2a and 5a are also in the same direction as a clockwise direction.

  That is, the conversion gear 6 is only required to have a speed reduction function, and is not required to have a rotation direction conversion function, and may be configured by gears 6a, 6b and the like directly formed on the respective steering wheels 2, 5 as in this embodiment. it can. Therefore, the conversion gear 6 that connects the steering wheels 2 and 5 can be simply configured to realize a further reduction in manufacturing cost.

  Further, according to the drive simulator 1 of the present embodiment, since the stopper mechanism 9 is provided, the full-size steering 5 is not rotated until the game steering 2 reaches the rotation allowable angle, and the game steering 2 Can be protected accurately.

  In the above embodiment, the game pedal 3 includes the accelerator pedal 3a and the brake pedal 3b. However, the game pedal 3 may further include a clutch pedal or only the accelerator pedal 3a. Also good. Further, the operation unit of the game apparatus 4 may be configured with only the game steering 2 and not provided with the game pedal 3.

  In the embodiment, the conversion gear 6 is configured so that the column portions 2a and 5a of the steering wheels 2 and 5 are directly connected. However, the rotation direction of the column portion 5a of the full-size steering 5 is changed. By interposing a bevel gear or the like to be converted, the rotation direction at the connection portion of the steering wheels 2 and 5 may be the same direction. In this case, the steering wheels 2 and 5 are arranged in the same direction with respect to the rotation axis direction.

  In the above embodiment, the device body 4a of the game device 4 is arranged at the foot of the simulated driver's seat 7. However, the device body 4a can be arranged at any location, and other specific detailed structures. Of course, it can be appropriately changed.

1 is a schematic side view illustrating a driving simulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of a driving simulator. It is an external appearance perspective view of a game steering and a game pedal.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Driving simulator 2 Game steering 2a Wheel part 2b Column part 3 Game pedal 3a Accelerator pedal 3b Brake pedal 4 Game device 5 Actual size steering 5a Wheel part 5b Column part 6 Conversion gear 7 Simulated driver's seat 8 Monitor 9 Stopper mechanism 100 Control part 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 I / O interface 105 Storage medium 106 Data reading unit

Claims (4)

A game device having a rotatable game steering;
Full-size steering in the vehicle,
A driving simulator, comprising: a conversion gear that pivotally connects the full-size steering and the game steering at a predetermined reduction ratio. The game device has a game pedal that can be tilted around a lower end,
2. The driving simulator according to claim 1, wherein the game pedal is turned upside down and tilted about the upper end. The game steering and the full-size steering are arranged so as to be opposite to each other with respect to the rotation axis direction,
The driving simulator according to claim 1, wherein the conversion gear is configured to directly connect the game steering side and the full-size steering side.   The driving according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a stopper mechanism for restricting the rotation of the full-size steering before the game steering reaches the end point of the allowable rotation angle. Simulator.

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