JP7804619B2 - boarding and alighting equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to boarding and alighting devices, and more particularly to boarding and alighting devices for a simulator cockpit.

As an example of a conventional simulator, the driving simulator described in Patent Document 1 uses a servo cylinder to change the posture of the simulated vehicle body relative to the floor. By combining this change in posture of the simulated vehicle body (cockpit) relative to the floor with an image projected onto a screen by a projector, it is possible to simulate the situation in which a driver inside the simulated vehicle body is driving a car.

In this simulator, passengers enter and exit the cockpit via a boarding and alighting device such as a bridge that is positioned to avoid actuators such as servo cylinders installed on the floor.

Patent No. 4493575

It is preferable for a driving simulator to be compatible with both right-hand drive and left-hand drive cockpits. In this case, if the boarding/exiting device's entrance is set up to correspond to a right-hand drive cockpit, it will be difficult for a left-hand drive driver to get in and out of the cockpit. For example, the driver will have to move through the relatively narrow cockpit to get to the seat with the left-hand drive. One solution to this problem would be to use two boarding/exiting devices, but this would lead to problems such as increased costs.

The object of the present invention is to provide a single boarding/alighting device that can accommodate the different boarding/alighting entrances on the left and right sides of a simulator's cockpit, allowing passengers to board and alight from either entrance.

To solve the above problem, a boarding and alighting device for boarding and alighting from a mobile simulator equipped with a cockpit having a boarding and alighting opening is provided, which is characterized by comprising: a bridge for boarding and alighting, a platform to which the bridge is movably attached, and a movement mechanism for moving the bridge relative to the platform and positioning the bridge in correspondence with one or the other of the boarding and alighting openings of the cockpit.

Furthermore, the bridge of the above-mentioned boarding and alighting device may further include an extension mechanism.

Furthermore, the boarding and alighting device may have two boarding and alighting openings on the left and right sides of the cockpit.

Furthermore, the movement mechanism of the above-mentioned boarding and disembarking device may be equipped with a trapezoidal screw for left and right movement.

Furthermore, the movement mechanism of the above-mentioned boarding and disembarking device may include a motor for left and right movement and a trapezoidal screw for left and right movement.

Furthermore, the boarding and alighting device may be configured so that passengers can board and alight from either the left or right doors of the cockpit by switching the safety fences at the tip of the bridge and near the tip.

Furthermore, the boarding/alighting device may have a bridge that includes multiple bridges, and the telescopic mechanism may be a mechanism in which the multiple bridges are nested within each other and extend and deploy relative to each other when in use.

Furthermore, the telescopic mechanism of the boarding/disembarking device may further include a ball screw and a linear guide.

Furthermore, the telescopic mechanism of the boarding and alighting device may be a pop-up bridge.

Furthermore, the telescopic mechanism of the boarding/alighting device may be a rotating bridge.

Furthermore, the bridge structure of the boarding/alighting device may be a truss structure.

According to the present invention, a single boarding/alighting device can be used to accommodate the different boarding/alighting doors on the left and right sides of the simulator's cockpit, allowing passengers to board and alight from either door.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a driving simulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic plan views showing the different cockpit stopping positions when the cockpit is a right-hand drive vehicle and when the cockpit is a left-hand drive vehicle. 3A and 3B are a schematic plan view and a schematic side view, respectively, showing the positional relationship of the boarding/exiting device according to the embodiment of the present invention with the cockpit in FIG. 1. FIG. 4A(a) and 4A(b) are schematic perspective views showing the state of a boarding bridge of the boarding/exiting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B(c) is a schematic perspective view showing the state of the boarding bridge of the boarding/exiting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 5(a) and 5(b) are schematic perspective views showing the extended state of the support legs of the tension jack according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6(a) is a schematic plan view showing a boarding bridge corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance in an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6(b) is an enlarged oblique view showing the tip of the boarding bridge corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance, and Figure 6(c) is an enlarged oblique view showing the left-right movement mechanism of the boarding bridge. 7A and 7B are an enlarged perspective view and an enlarged cross-sectional view, respectively, showing the details of the left-right movement mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8(a) is a plan view showing a boarding bridge corresponding to the left boarding/alighting entrance in an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8(b) is an oblique view showing the tip of the boarding bridge corresponding to the left boarding/alighting entrance, and Figure 8(c) is an enlarged oblique view showing the left-right movement mechanism of the boarding bridge. 9(a) and (b) are schematic plan views showing a boarding bridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a driving simulator 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the driving simulator 100 is composed of a cockpit 110, an actuator system 120 that operates the cockpit, a screen 130 that displays the scenery seen from the cockpit in response to the operation of the cockpit, a boarding bridge 140 that serves as a boarding and alighting device for the cockpit 110, a platform 150 that is provided with the boarding and alighting device and on which the driver gets on and off, and a recessed pit 160 (see FIG. 3(b)) on which the actuator system 120 is located and which has a bottom surface (floor) lower than the platform 150. The platform 150 has a base 180 for fixing the boarding bridge 140. The base 180 has a left-right movement mechanism 190 that is a movement mechanism for moving the boarding bridge 140 to the left and right of the base 180. In other words, this embodiment uses two cockpits 110, one for right-hand drive and one for left-hand drive, which can be interchanged as needed (FIG. 1 shows the right-hand drive version). At this time, the left-right movement mechanism 190, as will be described in detail below, moves the boarding bridge 140 to the left or right of the base 180 depending on whether the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive or a left-hand drive, to align it with the entrance and exit of the cockpit 110. Note that while this embodiment relates to a simulator for an automobile as the driving simulator 100, it is not limited to this. For example, it will be clear from the following description that it can also be used as a simulator for a moving object such as a railway vehicle or an aircraft. Also, in this embodiment, the driving simulator 100 is described as having a pit 160, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to not have a pit 160, and just the platform may be raised to a high position above the floor to match the position of the cockpit.

The cockpit 110 (shown in Figure 1 for a right-hand drive vehicle) is the boarding area where the driver boards to simulate driving, and is equipped with components for driving that mimic those of an actual automobile, such as a steering wheel, seat, instrument panel, side mirrors, right door 115, and left door 116. The cockpit 110 also has multiple entrances and exits. In this embodiment, it has a right entrance 110a and a left entrance 110b corresponding to the right door 115 and left door 116, respectively. A boarding bridge (boarding and alighting device) 140, through which the driver boards and alights from the cockpit 110, is provided on the platform 150. As will be described in detail later, when the driver boards or alights, the boarding bridge extends as a whole, with its tip positioned corresponding to the right entrance 110a of the cockpit 110 (Figure 1 shows this state). In this state, a pair of support legs 172 provided on the underside of the tip of the boarding bridge 140 extend into the pit 160, where the actuator system 120 is installed, and contact the floor of the pit. As a result, the tip of the boarding bridge 140 is supported by the support legs 172. When a simulation is not being performed, the boarding bridge 140 is retracted as a whole as the support legs 172 are retracted, and is positioned on the platform 150 (see FIG. 4A(a)). That is, when using the driving simulator 100, the boarding bridge 140 is first extended so that its tip corresponds to the position corresponding to the right boarding/alighting door 110a of the cockpit 110. Next, the driver opens the entrance door 142 on the front side of the boarding bridge 140 on the platform 150, gets on the boarding bridge, walks along the safety fence 146 to the boarding/alighting opening 141a, and enters the cockpit 110 through this opening. After using the driving simulator 100, the driver transfers from the cockpit 110 to the boarding bridge 140 through the boarding opening 141a at the tip of the boarding bridge 140, in the reverse order of the above, and moves to the platform 150 through the entrance door 142 on the platform 150 side of the boarding bridge 140. The boarding bridge 140 is then retracted and stored.

Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic plan views showing the different cockpit stopping positions when the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive and when it has a left-hand drive, respectively, and the positional relationship between the boarding bridge 140 and the cockpit 110. These cockpit stopping positions are the positions where the driver gets on and off during the simulation.

As shown in Figure 2(a), if the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive, the cockpit 110 stops at a stopping position that is to the right of the center line L1 of the base 180 in a plan view. At this time, the boarding bridge 140 is positioned to the right of the base 180 to correspond to the stopping position of a right-hand drive cockpit 110.

As shown in Figure 2(b), if the cockpit 110 has a left-hand drive, the cockpit 110 stops at a stopping position that is to the left of the center line L1 of the base 180 in a plan view. At this time, the boarding bridge 140 is positioned to the left of the base 180 so as to correspond to the stopping position of the cockpit 110 with a left-hand drive.

As such, in this embodiment, the cockpit 110 stops in different positions depending on whether the vehicle has a right-hand drive or a left-hand drive. Therefore, in order to accommodate the different stopping positions of the cockpit 110 with a single boarding bridge 140, as described above, the base 180 is equipped with a left-right movement mechanism 190, which will be described later.

Figures 3(a) and 3(b) are enlarged plan and side views, respectively, showing the positional relationship between the boarding bridge 140 and the cockpit 110 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting door 110a shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 3(a), the boarding bridge 140 is extended from the platform 150 until its tip reaches a position adjacent to the cockpit 110. At this time, the boarding bridge 140 extends toward the cockpit 110, which is stopped at a predetermined stopping position, but does not make contact with the cockpit 110. The right door 115 of the cockpit 110 opens toward the boarding and disembarking opening 141a at the tip of the boarding bridge 140, ensuring a path for the driver to board and disembark from the boarding bridge 140 to the cockpit 110. Furthermore, because the boarding bridge 140 does not make contact with the cockpit 110, the weight of the boarding bridge 140 and the impact caused by its extension and contraction are not applied to the cockpit 110, and there is no impact on the cockpit 110 or the actuator system 120, which will be described later. In addition, in the case of a boarding bridge 140 that is compatible with left-hand steering, the left door 116 of the cockpit 110 opens toward the boarding and disembarking opening 141b at the tip of the boarding bridge 140.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3(b), when the boarding bridge 140 is extended, the bottom of the boarding bridge 140 and the bottom of the cockpit 110 are configured to be at the same height. In this way, even if the height from the floor on which the actuator system 120 of the cockpit 110 is installed to the cockpit 110 is relatively high, by using the boarding bridge 140 of this embodiment, the boarding bridge 140 can be easily installed and removed from the cockpit 110. Furthermore, since the driver can board and disembark from the cockpit 110 by walking on the boarding bridge 140, the driver can move in the same way as in an actual vehicle where the driver walks on the ground, providing a high level of immersion.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3(b), the actuator system 120 comprises three actuators 121a, 121b, and 121c arranged at three equally spaced locations along the circumferential direction surrounding the cockpit 110. These three actuators can partially contract in their respective axial directions and are connected via a hexapod 124 to an oscillating base 111 fixed to a cockpit support base provided on the bottom side of the cockpit 110. The hexapod 124 is also fixed to a base plate 126. This allows the actuator system 120 to drive the actuators 121a, 121b, and 121c using a driving source such as hydraulic pressure, thereby moving the cockpit 110 in two axes, X and Y. The hexapod 124 also allows the cockpit 110 to move with six degrees of freedom, namely, in the three axes, X, Y, and Z, and in rotational directions around each of these axes. The operation of the cockpit by these actuators 121a, 121b, 121c and hexapod 124 is controlled by a host computer (not shown).

The screen 130 is installed above the pit 160, surrounding the cockpit 110, and images are projected onto it by a projector (not shown) suspended from the ceiling. The screen 130 is also positioned at a predetermined height above the pit floor to avoid the drive sources and hydraulic pipes of the actuators 121a, 121b, and 121c, which are installed on the floor of the pit 160.

When the projector receives image signals from a computer (not shown), it projects onto the screen 130 simulated images of the scenery that would be seen from inside the vehicle when traveling along a simulated road in accordance with each image signal. The driver obtains information about the road, signs, traffic lights, other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. while viewing the simulated images projected onto the screen 130, and performs driving operations in accordance with that information.

Here, drive mechanisms such as the three actuators 121a, 121b, and 121c and the hexapod 124 are provided, and particularly when the actuator of the hexapod 124 has a relatively long stroke, the height of the cockpit 110 provided above the hexapod 124 becomes relatively high. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive mechanisms are provided in a pit that is a recessed portion of the platform 150. Furthermore, since a pit is provided, passengers board and disembark in the cockpit 110 using a boarding bridge 140, and the boarding bridge 140 provided on the platform is configured to extend and retract relative to the cockpit 110.

The platform 150 is a platform for the driver to enter the room where the driving simulator 100 is installed and to board the boarding bridge 140. The platform 150 is made of concrete, for example, and has a horizontal floor surface on top. The platform 150 also has the aforementioned pit 160 in the center.

The boarding bridge 140 is attached and fixed to the platform 150 via the base 180. The base 180 is fixed by being embedded into the platform 150 when the concrete that makes up the platform 150 is laid. The base 180 is also supported on the floor of the pit 160 by fixing legs 181.

The base 180 is equipped with a left-right movement mechanism 190, which moves the boarding bridge 140 so that it corresponds to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a and the left boarding/alighting entrance 110b, which differ depending on whether the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive or a left-hand drive, as will be explained in detail later.

Figures 4A(a), (b), and 4B(c) are diagrams illustrating the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a according to this embodiment. Note that the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the left boarding/alighting entrance 110b differs in the configuration of its tip and boarding/alighting opening from the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a, as will be explained in detail later, and is also positioned differently on the base 180.

Figure 4A (a) is an oblique view showing the retracted state of the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a in an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the boarding bridge 140 includes a bridge 143, which is a structure of a series of rectangular frames that also serve as a safety fence 146. The bridge 143 includes multiple bridges, including a first bridge 143a that is fixed to the platform 150, a second bridge 143b that is the middle portion, and a third bridge 143c that is the tip portion. The bridge also includes an extension/retraction mechanism that allows the first bridge 143a, the second bridge 143b, and the third bridge 143c to extend and deploy relative to each other when in use, and conversely, to contract and retract relative to each other when in use. The first bridge 143a of the boarding bridge 140 is fixed to a base 180, which is a fixed base for fixing to the platform 150. When the boarding bridge 140 is in the stored state, the first bridge 143a, second bridge 143b, and third bridge 143c are nested within one another and contracted by the telescoping mechanism, and are stored together on the base 180. The bridge 143 may have, for example, a truss structure. If the bridge 143 has a truss structure, sufficient rigidity can be ensured for the bridge 143 during telescoping and after extension and deployment, and telescoping of the bridge 143 and the support legs 172, which will be described later, will not be hindered. In this embodiment, the bridge 143 is composed of multiple bridges, three bridges, but this is not limited to this and may be composed of, for example, two bridges, four bridges, or five or more bridges.

Figure 4A (b) is a perspective view showing the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a in an embodiment of the present invention in the mid-deployment state during use. From the previously described stowed state, the first telescoping motor 148a, which is the drive device for driving the telescoping mechanism, is used to rotate the first telescoping ball screw 148b, which is the telescoping mechanism, thereby extending and deploying the third bridge 143c toward the cockpit 110 relative to the first bridge 143a along the first telescoping linear guide 148c, which is the telescoping mechanism. At the same time, the second telescoping motor 149a is used to rotate the second telescoping ball screw 149b, thereby extending and deploying the second bridge 143b toward the cockpit 110 relative to the first bridge 143a along the second telescoping linear guide 149c. Because the telescoping mechanism is thus configured using a ball screw, the telescoping speed can be increased compared to when other screws are used. As mentioned above, the boarding bridge 140 has a nested structure in which the first bridge 143a, second bridge 143b, and third bridge 143c move and expand relative to one another. This allows the boarding bridge 140 to expand only in the direction of the cockpit 110, preventing collisions with the cockpit 110, screen 130, and other peripheral equipment. Because of this nested structure, the number of parts required is smaller and simpler than when the bridge expands and contracts using a bellows or pantograph system, and safety fences can be easily installed.

Figure 4B (c) is a perspective view showing the boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a in an embodiment of the present invention when fully deployed during use. The second bridge 143b and the third bridge 143c are fully deployed in the extension direction relative to the first bridge 143a. In this state, as will be described below, the support legs 172 extend from the storage section 171 of the tension jack 170 toward the floor surface inside the pit 160 to support the tip of the boarding bridge 140.

When using the driving simulator 100, the boarding bridge 140 is retracted and stored toward the platform 150 in the reverse order of the procedure in which the boarding bridge 140 extends and deploys toward the cockpit 110 described above. The boarding bridge 140 corresponding to the left boarding/alighting entrance 110b also extends and retracts in the same order as described above.

In this embodiment, the boarding bridges 140 are stored in a nested structure, but this is not limited to this. A boarding bridge with a bridge of the same length as the distance from the platform 150 to the cockpit 110 may be a lift-up bridge that is lifted up and positioned above the platform 150 to become stationary. Alternatively, instead of being lifted up, the bridge may be a rotating bridge whose tip rotates toward the platform 150 in an arc-shaped trajectory in a plan view and becomes stationary. Alternatively, a bridge with an integrated structure may be configured to move directly to the vicinity of the cockpit 110 and then return directly to the platform 150.

In this way, the boarding bridge 140 is stored in a nested structure and deployed in the extension direction. Furthermore, the boarding bridge 140 is equipped with the support legs 172 as described above at its tip. This allows the boarding bridge 140 to extend to the cockpit 110 without being obstructed by the actuators 121a, 121b, 121c or hydraulic pipes that run along the floor of the pit 160. Therefore, the boarding bridge 140 can be attached to and detached from the cockpit 110 regardless of the condition of the floor on which the driving simulator is installed.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the boarding bridge is stored using a flip-up or rotating mechanism, there is no need to make the bridge part of the boarding bridge a nested structure, and the boarding bridge can be extended to the cockpit 110 using a simple mechanism. Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved if the integrated bridge itself is moved directly to the vicinity of the cockpit 110 and then returned to the platform 150.

<Tension jack>
5(a) and 5(b) are enlarged perspective views showing details of the tension jack 170 of the boarding bridge 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the support leg 172 of the tension jack 170, an extendable support device for the boarding bridge 140, stored in the storage section 171. As described above, the support leg 172 remains stored in the storage section 171 until the boarding bridge 140 is fully deployed. The support leg 172 has a leg section 172a formed by a ball screw. A jack motor 173 is attached via a gear (not shown) to a drive shaft 174 for extending and retracting the support leg 172. As a result, when the jack motor 173 is not rotating, the frictional force between the leg section 172a and the storage section 171 and the frictional force between the gear of the jack motor 173 and the drive shaft 174 allows the support leg 172 to remain stationary relative to the storage section 171. Note that the jack motor 173 may be kept energized, and its holding torque may be used to maintain the stationary state.

Figure 5(b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the support leg 172 extended from the storage section 171 to the floor of the pit 160. When the boarding bridge 140 is deployed, the jack motor 173 rotates from the stationary state described above, and the driving force is transmitted through the gear, drive shaft 174, and leg 172a. As a result, the support leg 172, which is a ball screw, extends from the storage section 171 to the floor of the pit. The support leg 172 has a foot 172b, and when the foot 172b touches the floor of the pit, the jack motor 173 stops rotating. Due to the meshing friction between the leg 172a, which is a ball screw, and the storage section 171, which is threaded with a female thread corresponding to the ball screw, the support leg 172 remains stationary relative to the storage section 171. Thus, the boarding bridge 140 is supported by the support leg 172. As a result, the free end of the cantilevered boarding bridge 140 is supported and fixed, preventing the boarding bridge 140 from bending or twisting, allowing the driver to safely approach the cockpit 110 using the boarding bridge 140 and board safely. Furthermore, because the leg 172a is made of a ball screw, the leg 172a can quickly respond to the rotation of the jack motor 173 and quickly extend and retract. As described above, the jack motor 173 can be kept energized and the holding torque of the jack motor 173 can be used to hold the extended support leg 172.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, a tension jack 170 equipped with support legs 172 that are ball screws is used, but the support legs are not limited to this. For example, trapezoidal screws or worm gears can also be used. The support device may also have foldable support legs that are folded when stored. The tension jack 170 may also be a hydraulic jack. Even when such a support device is used, the support legs can be quickly extended and retracted.

<Boarding bridge left/right movement mechanism>
Fig. 6(a) is a schematic plan view showing the right boarding/alighting door 110a of the cockpit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., a boarding bridge at a position corresponding to the right handle, Fig. 6(b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the tip of the boarding bridge shown in Fig. 6(a), and Fig. 6(c) is an enlarged perspective view showing a mechanism for moving the boarding bridge left and right, showing the state before the boarding bridge moves to the left. Note that "left" and "right" here refer to the left and right sides, respectively, of the center line L1 of the base 180 in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b).

As shown in Figure 6(a), when the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive, the boarding opening 141a of the boarding bridge 140 opens to the left side when viewed from above the third bridge 143c. This allows the driver to board and disembark from the cockpit 110 using the boarding opening 141a and the right boarding/disembarking door 110a, which opens on the right side of the cockpit 110.

The boarding bridge 140 is equipped with a tension jack displacement plate 144 at its tip. This tension jack displacement plate 144 allows the tension jack 170 to rotate within a plane including the tension jack displacement plate 144, allowing the support legs 172 of the tension jack 170 to make contact with the floor of the pit 160 while avoiding actuators, hydraulic pipes, and other obstacles that may be present on the floor of the pit 160.

As shown in Figure 6(b), when the cockpit 110 is a right-hand drive vehicle, the right side of the tip safety fence 146a is lower than the left side when viewed from the front to avoid the right side mirror of the cockpit 110. In addition, the opening closing safety fence 146b is fitted to the right side of the third bridge 143c, and the boarding/alighting opening 141a is open on the left side of the third bridge 143c.

As shown in Figure 6(c), the boarding bridge 140 is equipped with a boarding bridge left-right movement mechanism 190 on the entrance door 142 side. The left-right movement mechanism 190 is composed of a left-right movement handle 191 for moving the boarding bridge 140, a left-right movement trapezoidal screw 192 for sending the boarding bridge 140 to either the left or right, and a left-right movement linear guide 193 that guides the boarding bridge 140 as it moves left and right on the platform 150. A more detailed configuration will be explained in the section below, with reference to Figures 7(a) and (b).

When the boarding bridge 140 is handed over to the cockpit 110 for a right-hand drive aircraft, the boarding bridge 140 is positioned on the right side on the base 180.

Here, if the cockpit 110 is converted to one compatible with left-hand drive and passengers board or disembark from the left boarding/alighting door 110b on the left side of the cockpit 110, the boarding bridge 140 is moved to the left side of the base 180 using the left/right movement mechanism 190.

Figure 7(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the detailed configuration of the left-right movement mechanism 190 of an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the state after the boarding bridge 140 has moved to the left. Figure 7(b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the details of the mechanism of the left-right movement mechanism 190 of an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 7(a), the left-right movement mechanism 190 includes a manual clamp 194 between the left-right movement handle 191 and the left-right movement ball screw 192 that is tightened to fix the rotation shaft 195 after the bridge is moved, the rotation shaft 195 that transmits the rotation of the left-right movement handle 191 to the miter gear 196 below, and the miter gear 196 that converts the rotation of the left-right movement handle 191 in a perpendicular direction and converts it into rotation of the left-right movement trapezoidal screw 192.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), the trapezoidal screw 192 for left-right movement includes a left stopper 197a, a right stopper 197b, and a nut 198 for positioning the trapezoidal screw 192 by contacting the nut 198 of the trapezoidal screw 192 with a connecting part 199 of the boarding bridge 140. The trapezoidal screw 192 for left-right movement engages with the boarding bridge 140 via the connecting part 199. In this way, the left-right movement mechanism 190 includes, in addition to the aforementioned components, a manual clamp 194, a rotating shaft 195, a miter gear 196, a left stopper 197a, a right stopper 197b, a nut 198, and a connecting part 199.

When the left-right movement handle 191 is manually rotated, for example, counterclockwise, the rotation shaft 195 rotates, and the miter gear 196 converts this rotation into a rotation at a right angle, causing the left-right movement trapezoidal screw 192 to rotate. The boarding bridge 140, which is engaged with the trapezoidal screw 192 via the connecting part 199, moves along the left-right movement linear guide 193 to the left of the base 180. At this time, the connecting part 199 hits the left stopper 197a, stopping the boarding bridge 140. After the boarding bridge 140 has stopped moving, the manual clamp 194 is tightened to secure the rotation shaft 195. This prevents the boarding bridge 140 from moving left or right.

By manually rotating the left-right movement handle 191, the boarding bridge 140 can be moved to the left of the base 180, thereby achieving left-right movement of the platform 150 with a simple configuration. Furthermore, the use of a trapezoidal screw reduces costs compared to using a ball screw. Furthermore, compared to using a triangular screw, the friction is lower and the feed pitch is smaller, so the left-right movement handle 191 can be turned manually with less force. However, rotation of the left-right movement handle 191 does not have to be manual; the boarding bridge 140 can also be automatically and quickly moved to the left or right of the base 180 by rotating the left-right movement trapezoidal screw 192 with a left-right movement motor.

Furthermore, the tip safety fence 146a of the boarding bridge 140 is temporarily removed, turned over, and then reattached to the tip of the boarding bridge 140 so that it can accommodate the left boarding/alighting opening 110b (see Figure 8(b)). Furthermore, the opening closing safety fence 146b is removed and reattached so as to block the boarding/alighting opening 141a (see Figure 8(b)). In this way, simply by swapping the tip safety fence 146a and the opening closing safety fence 146b of the boarding bridge 140, the opening of the boarding bridge 140 can be adapted to accommodate the right boarding/alighting opening 110a and the left boarding/alighting opening 110b of the cockpit 110, respectively.

Figure 8(a) is a schematic plan view showing the boarding bridge 140 at the left boarding/alighting entrance 110b of the cockpit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., at a position corresponding to the left handle, Figure 8(b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the tip of the boarding bridge 140 shown in Figure 8(a), and Figure 8(c) is an enlarged perspective view showing the left-right movement mechanism 190 for moving the boarding bridge 140, located on the left side of the base 180, to the right.

As shown in Figure 8(a), when the cockpit 110 has a left-hand drive, the boarding opening 141b of the boarding bridge 140 opens to the right of the third bridge 143c, opposite to the boarding opening 141a described above. This allows the driver to board and disembark from the cockpit 110 using the boarding opening 141b and the left boarding/disembarking door 110b, which opens on the left side of the cockpit 110.

As shown in Figure 8(b), when the cockpit 110 is a left-hand drive vehicle, the left side of the tip safety fence 146a is lower than the right side when viewed from the front to avoid the side mirror on the left side of the cockpit 110. In addition, the opening closing safety fence 146b is fitted to the left side of the third bridge 143c, and the boarding/alighting opening 141b is open on the right side of the third bridge 143c.

As shown in Figure 8(c), as described above, the boarding bridge 140 is equipped with a boarding bridge left/right movement mechanism 190 on the entrance door 142 side.

When the boarding bridge 140 is handed over to the left-hand cockpit 110, as described above, the boarding bridge 140 is moved to the left side on the base 180.

Here, if the cockpit 110 is converted to a right-hand drive and passengers board or disembark from the right boarding/alighting door 110a on the right side of the cockpit 110, the boarding bridge 140 is moved to the right side of the base 180 using the left/right movement mechanism 190, in the opposite manner to the above.

Moving the boarding bridge 140 to the right is achieved by rotating the left/right movement handle 191 clockwise, in the opposite direction to the above, which causes the left/right movement trapezoidal screw 192 to send the boarding bridge 140 to the right of the base 180. At this time, the boarding bridge 140 moves to the right of the base 180 along the left/right movement linear guide 193.

In addition, the tip safety fence 146a of the boarding bridge 140 is temporarily removed, turned over, and then reattached to the boarding bridge 140 so that it can accommodate the right boarding/alighting opening 110a (see Figure 5(b)). In addition, the opening closing safety fence 146b near the tip of the boarding bridge 140 is removed and reattached so as to block the boarding/alighting opening 141b (see Figure 5(b)).

In this way, the left-right movement mechanism 190 can move a single boarding bridge 140 to the right or left side of the base 180. This allows it to accommodate different right and left boarding and alighting entrances 110a and 110b depending on whether the cockpit 110 has a right-hand drive or left-hand drive, and passengers can board and alight from the different right and left boarding and alighting entrances 110a and 110b using a single boarding bridge 140.

<Other Embodiments>
9(a) and 9(b) are schematic plan views of a boarding bridge 240 according to another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above. In this embodiment, the cockpit 110 stops so that its center is on an extension of the center line L2 of the base 280 in a plan view, and the stopping position is the same whether the cockpit 110 corresponds to a right-hand drive or a left-hand drive vehicle.

Figure 9(a) shows another embodiment of the present invention in which the boarding bridge 240 is located to the right of the cockpit 110, corresponding to a right-hand drive cockpit 110.

Figure 9(b) shows another embodiment of the invention in which the boarding bridge 240 is located on the left side of the cockpit 110, corresponding to a left-hand drive cockpit 110.

Detailed explanations of components with names corresponding to those of the boarding bridge 140 described above will be omitted, as they have the same functions.

As shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), the base 280 to which the boarding bridge 240 is fixed is wider in left-right view than the base 180 described above. Therefore, the boarding bridge 240 located to the right of the cockpit 110, which corresponds to the right-hand drive cockpit 110 shown in Figure 9(a), can be moved to the left across the full width of the base 280 using the left-right movement mechanism 290, as described above. Note that "left" and "right" here refer to the left and right sides, respectively, of the center line L2 of the base 280 in Figures 9(a) and (b).

Furthermore, in correspondence with the left-hand drive cockpit 110 shown in Figure 9(b), the boarding bridge 240 located on the left side of the cockpit 110 can be similarly moved to the right across the full width of the base 280 using the left-right movement mechanism 290.

As a result, for a cockpit 110 that has the same stopping position for both right-hand and left-hand drive aircraft, a single boarding bridge 240 can be used for both the right boarding/alighting entrance 110a and the left boarding/alighting entrance 110b.

In the above description, the cockpit 110 has access doors on both the left and right sides, and the cockpit 110 is adapted to accommodate right- and left-hand drive vehicles, but this is not limited to this. For example, the cockpit may have access doors on only one side, either the right or left (in which case they are interchangeable), or a single cockpit may have handles on both the left and right sides and access doors on the corresponding left and right sides.

With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a boarding and alighting device that can accommodate the different boarding and alighting entrances on the left and right sides of the driving simulator's cockpit with a single boarding bridge, allowing passengers to board and alight from either entrance.

100 Driving simulator 110 Cockpit 110a Right boarding/alighting opening 110b Left boarding/alighting opening 115 Right door 116 Left door 120 Actuator system 121a, 121b, 121c Actuator 130 Screen 140 Boarding bridge 141a Boarding/alighting opening 141b Boarding/alighting opening 142 Entrance door 143 Bridge 143a First bridge 143b Second bridge 143c Third bridge 144 Tension jack displacement plate 146 Safety fence 146a Tip safety fence 146b Opening closing safety fence 150 Platform 160 Pit 170 Tension jack 171 Storage section 180 Base 190 Left/right movement mechanism L1 Center line of base 180

240 Boarding bridge 280 Base L2 Center line of base 280

Claims (8)

A boarding and alighting device for getting on and off a mobile simulator having a cockpit with a boarding and alighting door,
A bridge for boarding and disembarking,
a platform to which the bridge is movably mounted;
a movement mechanism for moving the bridge relative to the platform and positioning the bridge corresponding to one or the other of the entrances of the cockpit;
Equipped with
The boarding/alighting doors are two left and right boarding/alighting doors of the cockpit,
A boarding and alighting device characterized in that passengers can board and alight from the left and right boarding and alighting doors of the cockpit by switching the safety fences at the tip of the bridge and near the tip . The boarding/exiting device according to claim 1, wherein the bridge further comprises an extension mechanism. The boarding/exiting device according to claim 1 , wherein the movement mechanism includes a trapezoidal screw for left-right movement. The boarding/exiting device described in claim 2, wherein the bridge comprises multiple bridges, and the telescopic mechanism is a mechanism in which the multiple bridges are nested within each other and extend and unfold relative to each other when in use. The boarding/exiting device according to claim 4 , wherein the telescopic mechanism further comprises a ball screw and a linear guide. The boarding/exiting device described in claim 2, wherein the extension mechanism consists of a lift-up bridge. The boarding/exiting device described in claim 2, wherein the extension mechanism consists of a rotating bridge. The boarding/exiting device described in claim 1, wherein the bridge structure is a truss structure.