US5655909A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Skydiving trainer windtunnel
Assignee: IFLY HOLDINGS LLC
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Filing: 1995-03-06
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Granted: 1997-08-12
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Expires: 2015-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A skydiving simulator combines a vertical air chamber with a video projection system on the interior wall. A virtual reality environment is created as the skydiver, while suspended, sees actual film footage of scenarios descending toward earth. A skydiver backpack houses a transmitter which interactively steps the skydiver through emergency procedures.
Inventors
- 👤 William J. Kitchen
- 👤 Kenneth G. Bird
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:03
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63G; A63G31/00; B; B64; B64D; B64D23/00; G; G09; G09B; G09B9/00; A63G2031/005; A63G31/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A skydiving simulator comprising: a vertical chamber having an air column capable of supporting a skydiver in flight; said vertical chamber further comprising an interior side wall surrounding the skydiver; said interior side wall further comprising a video projection screen; and a video projection system projecting skydiving scenarios on the video projection screen, thereby creating a virtual reality environment for the skydiver.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A skydiving simulator comprising: a vertical chamber having an air column capable of supporting a skydiver in flight; said vertical chamber further comprising an interior side wall surrounding the skydiver; said interior side wall further comprising a video projection screen; and a video projection system projecting skydiving scenarios on the video projection screen, thereby creating a virtual reality environment for the skydiver.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The skydiving simulator of claim 1, wherein the video projection system further comprises a telemetry receiver and a computer which receives signals from the telemetry receiver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The skydiving simulator of claim 2 further comprising a telemetry transmitter worn by the skydiver and functioning to transmit to the telemetry receiver.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
The skydiving simulator of claim 1 further comprising a backpack worn by the skydiver, said backpack further comprising the telemetry transmitter and a ripcord simulator handle (A) and a reserve chute simulator handle (B) and a breakaway simulator handle (C) and a control circuit which senses an activation of any said simulator handle (A, B, C) and then activates a unique signal for each activation of said simulator handles (A, B, C) for the telemetry transmitter to send.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The skydiving simulator of claim 4, wherein the computer further comprises a program responsive to the telemetry receiver and functioning to control the video projection system to play a plurality of predetermined film sequences in response to a plurality of incoming signals received by the telemetry receiver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The skydiving simulator of claim 1, wherein the video projection screen further comprises a dimension covering at least 120° of arc of the interior side wall.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-08-11 | 2001-02-10 | 2001-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-08-11 | 2005-02-10 | 2005-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-08-11 | 2009-02-10 | 2009-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |