US3734497A — Apparatus for simulating cross-country driving co…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 271 words

Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a selfpropelled vehicle traveling in cross-country fashion in annular paths of selectable radii, said apparatus comprising: A. An upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and including a rearward part with a light transmissive opening therethrough whereby an operator positioned immediately rearwardly of the housing at an operator''s station might have a forwardly extending view into the housing interior; B. A transversely broad mirror of the light transmissive type attached to the housing and located therewithin lineally forwardly of the housing viewing opening, said mirror generally sub-dividing the housing internal spatial volume into two spatial chambers including a rear-space and a front-space located on opposite sides of said mirror, a first selected of said housing chambers extending along a reference-axis; C. A miniature vehicle located within said first of the two housing chambers and movably associated with the housing so as to be free to travel annularly about said reference-axis; D. a diorama located within the second of said housing chambers and being optically superimposed by said mirror as an inverse mirror-image thereof to the first housing chamber to provide a visually apparent environment along the permitted annular paths of the miniature vehicle; E. Velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly positioned operator''s station for causing the annularly movable vehicle to travel at a finite angular velocity about said reference-axis; and F. Radial distance control means accessible from said operator''s station for varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from said reference-axis thereby permitting the operator to maneuver the vehicle with respect to the environment provided by the optically superimposed diorama.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 271 words

Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a selfpropelled vehicle traveling in cross-country fashion in annular paths of selectable radii, said apparatus comprising: A. An upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and including a rearward part with a light transmissive opening therethrough whereby an operator positioned immediately rearwardly of the housing at an operator''s station might have a forwardly extending view into the housing interior; B. A transversely broad mirror of the light transmissive type attached to the housing and located therewithin lineally forwardly of the housing viewing opening, said mirror generally sub-dividing the housing internal spatial volume into two spatial chambers including a rear-space and a front-space located on opposite sides of said mirror, a first selected of said housing chambers extending along a reference-axis; C. A miniature vehicle located within said first of the two housing chambers and movably associated with the housing so as to be free to travel annularly about said reference-axis; D. a diorama located within the second of said housing chambers and being optically superimposed by said mirror as an inverse mirror-image thereof to the first housing chamber to provide a visually apparent environment along the permitted annular paths of the miniature vehicle; E. Velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly positioned operator''s station for causing the annularly movable vehicle to travel at a finite angular velocity about said reference-axis; and F. Radial distance control means accessible from said operator''s station for varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from said reference-axis thereby permitting the operator to maneuver the vehicle with respect to the environment provided by the optically superimposed diorama.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a shelf member having a broadly extending riding surface located within the housing first chamber and intersecting said reference-axis whereby the optically superimposed diorama extends along the shelf member broadly extending riding surface and wherein the miniature vehicle is a rollable vehicle capable of riding along the broadly extending surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the shelf member broad riding surface includes moderately pronounced undulations capable of being ridden-over by the rollable vehicle and corresponding in inverse mirror-image location to Moderately pronounced features of the diorama, said vehicle including stabilization means to permit the vehicle to stably ride-over the shelf undulate contour.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 99 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the shelf member extends generally horizontally and is located within the housing front-space chamber so as to intersect a vertical reference-axis and whereby the miniature vehicle is adapted to travel annularly about the said vertical-axis; and wherein the diorama is located within the housing rear-space chamber in elevation below the housing viewing opening and optically superimposed by the mirror at the front-space shelf and viewable thereat by an operator peering forwardly toward said mirror, said diorama including severely pronounced features which optically extend upwardly from the shelf member higher than the undulations thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein there is a light source located within the housing front-space, the miniature vehicle being fluorescent to the front-space light source and the shelf member riding surface being relatively non-fluorescent to said front-space light source; and wherein there is a light source located within the housing rear-space, the diorama features being fluorescent to the rear-space light source.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there is an ultraviolet light source within the housing front-space, the miniature vehicle being fluorescent and the shelf riding surface being relatively non-fluorescent to the ultra-violet light spectrum; and wherein there is a visible spectrum light source within the housing rear-space, the diorama features being fluorescent to the visible light spectrum.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the velocity control means is capable of varying the annular speed of the miniature vehicle through a selectable range of velocities; and wherein there are proximity sensing means to record at the operator''s station proximal conditions between the annularly movable vehicle and environmental features of the optically superimposed diorama.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 64 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the radial distance control means includes a rotatable steering column at the operator''s station, said radial distance control means being functionable only when the miniature vehicle is traveling annularly at a finite velocity along the shelf member and the vehicle radial distance change depending upon the degree of the prior rotation of the steering column by the operator.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 101 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the annularly movable relationship between the miniature vehicle and the housing includes a tubular sleeve extending along the said vertical reference-axis and rotatably secured to the housing, said tubular sleeve carrying a radially extending leading-arm directly co-revolvable therewith; and wherein the radial distance control means also includes a substantially horizontal elongate trailing-arm located above the miniature vehicle and pivotably associated with the leading-arm radially remote of said tubular sleeve, the underlying vehicle including an uprightly extending guide-rod rotatably secured to the trailing-arm, the degree of rotation of the guide-rod being initiatable at said steering column.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the shelf member broad riding surface is capable of being ridden-over by the miniature vehicle; and wherein the diorama includes severely pronounced features which optically extend upwardly from the shelf riding surface higher than said vehicle''s rollable capability.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 126 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the shelf member extends generally horizontally and is located within the housing front-space chamber so as to intersect a vertical reference-axis and whereby the miniature vehicle is adapted to travel annularly about the said vertical-axis; wherein the diorama is located within the housing rear-space chamber of different elevation than the housing viewing opening and optically superimposed by the mirror so as to appear to exist at the front-space shelf; wherein there is a light sourcE located within the housing front-space, the miniature vehicle being fluorescent and the shelf riding surface being relatively non-fluorescent to the front-space light source; and wherein there is a light source located in the housing rear-space, the diorama features being fluorescent to the rear-space light source.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the velocity control means is capable of varying the angular velocity of the miniature vehicle through a selectable range of velocities; and wherein there are proximity sensing means to record at the operator''s station proximal conditions between the annularly moving vehicle and recognizeable individual features of the optically superimposed diorama.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 61 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the radial distance control means includes a rotatable steering column at the operator''s station, said radial distance control means being functionable only when a rollable miniature vehicle is traveling annularly at a finite velocity along a shelf member and the vehicle radial distance change depending upon the degree of prior rotation of the steering column.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 258 words

Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a self-propelled vehicle traveling in annular paths of selectable radii over an obstacle course, said apparatus comprising: A. An upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and extending along a vertical-axis and including an upright rearward part with a light transmissive opening therethrough whereby a remote operator positioned immediately rearwardly of the housing at an operator''s station might have a view into the housing interior; B. A simulated dioramic environment located within the housing, said environment including pronounced individually recognizeable features which are viewable by an operator peering forwardly through the housing rearward opening; C. A miniature vehicle located within and movably associated with the housing so as to travel annularly about the housing vertical-axis and; D. Means to cause said simulated dioramic environment to appear to surround the said vertical - axis whereby said miniature vehicle will appear to travel through said simulated dioramic environment; E. Velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly remotely positioned operator''s station for causing the miniature vehicle to travel at a finite velocity annularly about the housing vertical-axis; F. Control means accessible from the said operator''s station for varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from the housing vertical-axis while the vehicle remains at substantially constant elevation thereby permitting the operator to maneuver the annularly moving vehicle with respect to the simulated dioramic environment; and G. Proximity sensing means to record at the operator''s station the proximity apparently existing between the annularly moving vehicle with individually recognizeable features of said simulated environment.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 258 words

Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a self-propelled vehicle traveling in annular paths of selectable radii over an obstacle course, said apparatus comprising: A. An upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and extending along a vertical-axis and including an upright rearward part with a light transmissive opening therethrough whereby a remote operator positioned immediately rearwardly of the housing at an operator''s station might have a view into the housing interior; B. A simulated dioramic environment located within the housing, said environment including pronounced individually recognizeable features which are viewable by an operator peering forwardly through the housing rearward opening; C. A miniature vehicle located within and movably associated with the housing so as to travel annularly about the housing vertical-axis and; D. Means to cause said simulated dioramic environment to appear to surround the said vertical - axis whereby said miniature vehicle will appear to travel through said simulated dioramic environment; E. Velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly remotely positioned operator''s station for causing the miniature vehicle to travel at a finite velocity annularly about the housing vertical-axis; F. Control means accessible from the said operator''s station for varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from the housing vertical-axis while the vehicle remains at substantially constant elevation thereby permitting the operator to maneuver the annularly moving vehicle with respect to the simulated dioramic environment; and G. Proximity sensing means to record at the operator''s station the proximity apparently existing between the annularly moving vehicle with individually recognizeable features of said simulated environment.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the remotely positioned velocity control means is capable of selectively continuously varying the speed of the annularly movable miniature vehicle about said vertical-axis.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-05-21	1976-11-20	1977-05-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-05-21	1980-11-20	1981-05-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-05-21	1984-11-20	1985-05-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for simulating cross-country driving conditions

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