GB2281857A

GB2281857A - "Enclosure apparatus"

Info

Publication number: GB2281857A
Application number: GB9319347A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Holmes; Bruce James Renfrew
Original assignee: IND Ltd W; Virtuality Entertainment Ltd
Current assignee: IND Ltd W; Virtuality Entertainment Ltd
Priority date: 1993-09-18
Filing date: 1993-09-18
Publication date: 1995-03-22
Also published as: GB9319347D0

Abstract

Enclosure apparatus 1 for use during immersive virtual reality when a user is normally blind to his surroundings, has a base 2 supporting a platform 7 from which extends a pair of columns 3, 4 at the upper ends of which are pivotally mounted a pair of arcuate enclosure members 5, 6 respectively. The enclosure members 5, 6 when lowered, encircle the user on the platform 7 at about the height of the upper thigh and are movable between lowered positions shown by member 5 and raised positions shown by member 6. Gas struts (one of which 17 is shown) within the columns, are provided to urge the members either into their lowered positions or, when moved overcentre to urge the members into their raised positions. <IMAGE>

Description

MDnolosure Apparatus" This invention relates to enclosure apparatus adapted to encircle an upright person generally and more particularly but not exclusively to enclosure apparatus used in the experience of immersive virtual reality.

Immersive virtual reality experiences such as those typically found in the arcade games market ordinarily require that a user thereof is either seated or standing whilst wearing a head mounted display conprising video displays by means of which a computer generated three dimensional perspeetive virtual world can be viewed. Such displays have latterly been helmet like in appearance and recently with the advent of miniature SCD video panels can now be made in the form of 'visors'. In both cases these displays surround the field of view of the user so as to effectively immerse him in the virtual eeperience.

Experiences in which the user is standing require that he is able to move by stepping forward, backward and fran side to side albeit to a limited extent. It is apparent that in such a situation the user is effectively blind to the sarroanding real world and unhindered movement may be injurious to himself or to bystanders. To avoid this potentially hazardous behaviour it is desirable for the user to be contained within sate form of enclosure functioning similarly to a boxing ring, for example.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relatively compact form of enclosure apparatus used in the experience of imnersive virtual reality which provides easy access for the average user and which is suitable for use in arnusattent arcades.

According to the invention enclosure apparatus used in the experience of imnersive virtual reality to limit the movement of a standing person wearing a head mounted display comprises a plurality of enclosure elements which, when upper surfaces thereof are in generally horizontal attitudes, will form an enclosure surrounding said person generally at the height of the upper thigh or above, at least one said enclosure element being pivotable about a horizontal axis to have limited angular movement between a lowered position in which the upper surface thereof is in said horizontal attitude and a raised position to open the enclosure. Typically, the apparatus further comprises a base fran which extend upstanding support } s which support the respective enclosure elements at positions spaced above the base.

Preferably, at least one enclosure element is arcuately elongated and when in the lowered position will define with the other enclosure element or elements an enclosure in the fortn of an interrupted annulus. The said horizontal axis nay be disposed radially outwardly of adjacent the upper surface of said one arcuate enclosure element. Additionally, a gas strut or spring pivotable about its fixed lower end has its free end pivotally attached to said one arcuate enclosure element at a pivot point disposed radially outwardly of and below the said horizontal axis of said one enclosure element when the latter is in its lowered position, with the arrangement prcrviding that the gas strut urges the said one enclosure element into its lowered position as said element approaches that position and once beyond an cNeDCentre position the strut urges the said one enclosure element toward its raised position.

Stiitably, the enclosure is formed by two similar, arcuately elongated enclosure elements. Both enclosure elements may be pivotable about respective horizontal axes between lowered and raised positions with the said horizontal axes preferably each being disposed generally parallel to a tangent to the mid-point of the respective arcuate enclosure element. A gas strut nay be associated with each said arcuate enclosure element. The enclosure elements nay be supported by respective upstanding support members in the form of columns and in which the base has a platform beneath which computer hadware can be located and the enclosure apparatus may further comprise position sensing means adapted to operate with said computer hardware to determine the position of a person when standing or moving on the platform.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of enclosure apparatus having two enclosure members one being in a raised position and the other being in a lowered position; and Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 with both enclosure members being shown lowered and the raised position of one member being illustrated in chain dotted outline.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings is in the form of enclosure apparatus 1 comprising a base 2, upstanding support nenbers provided by columns 3,4, and a pair of similarly arcuately elongate and centrally hinged enclosure elements 5,6.

The base 2 has a platform 7 generally encircled by a raised rim 8 extending upwardly of a lower wall 9. Computer hardware for a virtual reality experience is conveniently housed beneath the platform 7 within a cavity defined by the platform and the lower wall 9. The platform 7 is provided by a disc of aluminium deck plate supported on a floor-standing tubular steel chassis (not shown) to which rim 8 and lower wall 9, suitably provided by plastics mouldings, are attached. Extending outwardly fran the wall 9 is a step 10 which is provided to aid a user climbing from the surrounding floor on to the platform 7.

The columns 3,4 extend upwardly fran diametrically opposite portions of the rim 8 and are fabricated fran plastics mouldings supported on respective tubular steel frameworks (not shown) which are in turn rigidly attached to the base chassis. The TErpers 5,6 may be similarly fabricated from plastics msuldings encasing a steel framework (not shown). The height of the columns is determined so that a user standing on the platform 7 will be generally encircled by lowered arcuate ltetteers 5,6 at or above the height of his upper thigh.

Referring now to Figure 2, the base chassis is supported by a plurality of feet 11 which may be adjustable to level the apparatus 1 on an uneven floor surface. The arcuate member 6 is pivotally mounted to the end end of column 4 by means of hinge pin 12 and is pivotable between the lowered position illustrated and the raised position 6R shown in chain dotted outline. A gas strut or spring 13, shown in broken outline in the attitude it adopts when the member is in the raised position 6R, is housed within the column 4 and is attached to an intermediate portion of the column framwwOrk at its lower end by pivotal mounting 14 and at its upper free end to the arcuate member 6 by pivotal mounting 15.

Similarly, the arcuate number 5 is mounted to the upper end of column 3 by hinge pin 16 and is likewise pivotal between the lowered position illustrated and a raised position (not shown). A gas strut or spring 17 is attached to column 3 at its lower end by pivotal mounting 18 and at its free end it is attached to the arcuate member 5 by pivotal mounting 19.

It will be appreciated that gas struts or springs are designed to be spring urged toward their full extent although the spring force is such that they can be compressed ie: shortened with ease. The geometry of the attachnents of gas struts 13,17 is such that with the members 5,6 in their layered positions (as can be seen by the illustrated attitude of strut 17) or slightly angularly displaced therefrom the struts 13,14 exert moments on the respective member 5,6 which urge them into the lowered positions.

Additionally, with the members 5,6 in or close to the raised position, as shown by the chain dotted outline 6R, the gas struts 13,17 apply respective natints to the members to urge them toward the raised positions.

The aforedescribed arrangement conenniently provides enclosure apparatus 1 with a pair of arcuate elements 5,6 which when lowered provide a safety barrier of generally interrupted annular form which is retained lowered without the need of positive locking means by the sleight of the elements and the spring action of struts 13,17. By raising each of the numbers 5,6 the struts 13,17 are meved to geometrically overcentre positions at which point they act to spring urge the numbers to the upper raised positions at which they form a gate permitting access to the platform 7.

It will be understood that when lowered the combined action of the weight of the members 5,6 and spring action of the struts 13,17 exert moments on the members greater than any oppositely acting nsment that could be exerted by a user leaning or falling against the upper edges of the members. To provide a further margin of safety locking or detent means could be incorporated to retain the menkers 5,6 in lowered attitudes.

Conveniently, position sensing means, by which the computer hardware can detect the position and/or movement of the user on the platform 7, can be incorporated in the columns 3,4 or arcuate members 5,6. Similarly, cabling for a head mounted display and/or a band operated control device may extend fran, or be pluggable into connectors attached to, the columns or members.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Enclosure apparatus used in the experience of immergive virtual reality to limit the movement of a standing person wring a head mounted display, the enclosure apparatus carprising a plurality of enclosure elements which, when upper surfaces thereof are in generally horizontal attitudes, will form an enclosure surrounding said person generally at the height of the upper thigh or above, at least one said enclosure element being pivotable about a horizontal axis to have limited angular nswemert between a lowered position in which the upper surface thereof is in said horizontal attitude and a raised position to open the enclosure.

2. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 1, comprising a base fran which extend upstanding support nembers which support the respective enclosure elements at positions spaced above the base.

3. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, in which said at least one enclosure element is arcuately elongated and when in the lowered position will define with the other enclosure element or elements an enclosure in the form of an intcrruç*ed annulus.

4. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 3, in which said horizontal axis is disposed radially outwardly of and adjacent the upper surface of said one arcuate enclosure element.

5. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which a gas strut or spring pivotable about its fixed lower end has its free end pivotally attached to said one arcuate enclosure element at a pivot point disposed radilly outwardly of and below the said horizontal axis of said one enclosure element when the latter is in its loweed position, with the arrangement providing that the gas strut urges the said one enclosure element into its lowered position as said element approaches that position and once beyond an overcentre position the strut urges the said one enclosure element toward its raised position.

6. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in which the enclosure is formed by two similar, arcuately elongated enclosure elements.

7. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 6, in which both of the enclosure elements are pivotable about respective horizontal axes between lowered and raised positions.

8. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 7, in which the said horizontal axes are each disposed generally parallel to a tangent to the mid-point of the respective arcuate enclosure element.

9. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with claim 7 or claim 8 as appendant to claim 5, wherein a similar gas strut is similarly associated with each said arcuate enclosure element.

10. Enclosure apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 7 to 9 when dependent on claim 2, in which each of the enclosure elements are supported by respective upstanding support members in the form of columns and in which the base has a platform beneath which computer hardware can be located and the enclosure apparatus further comprises position sensing means adapted to operate with said computer hardware to determine the position of a person when standing or nerving on the platform.

11. Enclosure apparatus used in the experience of immersive virtual reality to limit the rrrcnsent of a standing person wearing a head mounted display substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated the acccmpanying drawings.