CN113983309B

CN113983309B - Vertical stability augmentation mechanism

Info

Publication number: CN113983309B
Application number: CN202111229204.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 宾朋; 王鹏
Original assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-03-23
Filing date: 2018-03-23
Publication date: 2024-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-23
Also published as: WO2019178879A1; CN110462277A; CN110462277B; CN113983309A

Abstract

A vertical stability augmentation mechanism, the vertical stability augmentation mechanism comprising: a load connection portion for carrying a load; a support; one end of the connecting component is rotationally connected with the supporting piece, and the other end of the connecting component is connected with the load connecting part; two stability augmentation motors arranged on the support piece; the two stability augmentation motors are used for jointly driving the connecting assembly to rotate around the supporting piece so as to vertically augment the stability of the load borne on the load connecting portion.

Description

Vertical stability augmentation mechanism

Technical Field

The disclosure relates to the field of shooting, and in particular relates to a vertical stability augmentation mechanism for shooting.

Background

In order to achieve the purpose of stable shooting, many shooting devices are used together with a tripod head device, which generally has a function of increasing stability in a rotation direction of the shooting device, for example, a triaxial tripod head can compensate shake of the shooting device in rotation directions of a pitch axis, a yaw axis and a roll axis. However, the cradle head device does not have an ideal stability enhancement function for a photographing problem of the photographing device in the gravity direction, such as shake.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a vertical stability augmentation mechanism.

According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a vertical stability augmentation mechanism comprising:

A load connection portion for carrying a load;

a support;

one end of the connecting component is rotationally connected with the supporting piece, and the other end of the connecting component is connected with the load connecting part;

two stability augmentation motors arranged on the support piece;

the two stability augmentation motors are used for jointly driving the connecting assembly to rotate around the supporting piece so as to vertically augment the stability of the load borne on the load connecting portion.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings that are needed in the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below, it being obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and that other drawings may be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort to a person skilled in the art.

Fig. 1 and 2 are schematic structural views of a photographing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein fig. 1 is a side view of the photographing system, and fig. 2 is a top view of the photographing system.

Fig. 3 to 5 are schematic structural views of a vertical stability augmentation mechanism in the photographing system of fig. 1 and 2, wherein fig. 3 is a side view of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism, fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism, and fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism.

Fig. 6 and 7 are schematic views of the state of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism when loading different weight loads.

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the switching assembly for adjusting the end position of the elastic member in fig. 1 and 2, fig. 9 is a schematic view of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism in the normal state, and fig. 10 is a schematic view of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism in the inverted state.

Fig. 11 and 12 are schematic views of the crank and rocker mechanism of fig. 1 and 2.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is apparent that the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, the same numbers in different drawings refer to the same or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary examples do not represent all implementations consistent with the invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with aspects of the invention as detailed in the accompanying claims.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The features of the examples and embodiments described below may be combined with each other without conflict.

As shown in fig. 1 to 12, a photographing system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a pan-tilt device 20 and a photographing device C. The cradle head device 20 is used for carrying the photographing device C, and can be used for changing the photographing angle of the photographing device C and eliminating the influence of shake on the photographing device C.

The shooting device C may be used for shooting images/videos, and may be a camera, a video camera, a mobile phone or a tablet computer with a shooting function, and the like.

Cradle head device 20 may include a vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 and a cradle head 24. Wherein, the holder 24 may be a three-axis holder. The three-axis pan/tilt can adjust the angle of the camera C about the yaw (yaw), roll (roll) and pitch (pitch) axes.

The pan-tilt 24 may include a first shaft driving unit 241, a first bracket 242, a second shaft driving unit 243, a second bracket 244, and a third shaft driving unit 245. The first bracket 242 is connected to the first shaft driving unit 241 and is rotatable about the first axis Z1 under the driving of the first shaft driving unit 241. The second shaft driving unit 243 is fixedly disposed at an end of the first bracket 242 remote from the first shaft driving unit 241. The second support 244 is connected to the second shaft driving unit 243 and is capable of rotating about the second shaft Z2 under the driving of the second shaft driving unit 243. The third shaft driving unit 245 is fixedly disposed at an end of the second bracket 244 remote from the second shaft driving unit 243. The photographing device C is connected to the third axis driving unit 245 and is capable of rotating around the third axis Z3 under the driving of the third axis driving unit 245. The first shaft driving unit 241, the second shaft driving unit 243, and the third shaft driving unit 245 may be brushless motors.

In addition, the holder device 20 may further include a sensor (not shown) and a processor (not shown). Wherein the sensor is used for sensing gesture information of the pan-tilt 24 and/or the photographing device C. For example, the sensor may include an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for measuring angular velocity of each rotation shaft of the pan-tilt 24 and attitude information such as acceleration at the photographing device C; the sensor may also include an articulation angle sensor, such as a photoelectric encoder, for measuring the angle of rotation at each axis of rotation of the pan-tilt 24. And are not limiting herein.

The processor may be used to control at least one of the first shaft driving unit 241, the second shaft driving unit 243, and the third shaft driving unit 245 to rotate according to the information sensed by the sensor, so as to eliminate the influence of the axial shake of the photographing system 100 on the photographing device C. That is, the pan/tilt head 24 has an axial stability augmentation function, and can be regarded as an axial stability augmentation mechanism. For example, the processor may control at least one of the first, second, and third shaft driving units 241, 243, and 245 to rotate in a direction opposite to the axial shake direction of the photographing system 100 to eliminate the influence of the axial shake of the photographing system 100 on the photographing device C.

It will be appreciated that the processor may also be configured to control rotation of at least one of the first shaft driving unit 241, the second shaft driving unit 243, and the third shaft driving unit 245 in response to instruction information of a user, for the purpose of photographing at an angle/direction desired by the user.

The pan-tilt 24 may further include a joint portion 240 fixedly connected to the first shaft driving unit 241, where the joint portion 240 is configured to connect to the load connection portion 80 on the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22. For example, the end of the load connection portion 80 may be provided with a receiving space 87, and the connection between the two portions may be achieved by inserting the joint portion 240 into the receiving space 87. The connector 240 may be snap fit, threaded, or interference fit with the load connection 80.

In addition, the connector portion 240 may further include an electrical connection portion (not shown). When the pan-tilt 24 and the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 are connected to each other, the electrical connection portion can electrically connect the photographing device C and/or the first shaft driving unit 241, the second shaft driving unit 243, and the third shaft driving unit 245 to other electronic components (e.g., a power source, a control panel, a processor, etc. disposed in other areas).

It will be appreciated that the head 24 may also be a single axis head, a dual axis head, or other types of heads.

The camera system 100 may further include a support 60. The support 60 may be provided with a support portion 10 for supporting the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22, the pan-tilt head 24, and the photographing device C. The supporting portion 10 and the pan/tilt head 24 may be disposed at two ends of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22, respectively. The support 10 may be a hand-held support device for being held by a user, or may be a non-hand-held support device, for example, may be a component provided on an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned ship, or the like for supporting the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 and the cradle head 24. The support 60 or the support 10 may be considered as part of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22, the pan-tilt device 20, or the support 60 or the support 10 may be considered as a separate component from the pan-tilt device 20.

The processor may be disposed on the support portion 10, or may be disposed at the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22, the pan-tilt head 24, or other portions of the photographing system 100. There is no limitation in this regard.

[ vertical active stability-increasing ]

The vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 may utilize the stability augmentation motor 62 to drive the pan-tilt 24 and the photographing device C disposed on the pan-tilt 24 to move in a vertical opposite direction (compensation movement), and is mainly used for counteracting (at least partially counteracting) or compensating for the shake of the photographing device C in the vertical direction. Further, the phenomenon of picture shake caused by shake of the imaging device C during imaging can be improved. The reverse direction movement is referred to here as shaking of the photographing device C in the vertical direction.

For example, a detection module (e.g., a sensor) may be used to obtain a magnitude of movement or a magnitude of change in position of the photographing device C in the vertical direction. The sensor may include a motion sensor for sensing a vibration state of the load in a vertical direction. The processor can calculate parameters such as the rotation direction and the amplitude of the stability augmentation motor 62 according to the magnitude, and generate a control instruction according to the parameters to control the stability augmentation motor 62 to rotate. Rotation of stability augmentation motor 62 may move camera C a corresponding distance in a reverse direction to timely compensate or cancel (at least partially cancel) the vertical shake of camera C.

Illustratively, the stability augmentation motor 62 may be any type of motor. The term stability augmentation motor is used herein to distinguish it better from other motors.

Compared with passive vertical stability augmentation, the active vertical stability augmentation response time of the motor is shorter. In addition, passive vertical stability augmentation mainly depends on speed abrupt change to enhance stability, and has high requirements on speed change, so that an ideal correction effect on tiny up-and-down fluctuation is difficult to obtain. The active vertical stability enhancement by the motor is also obvious in the micro up-and-down fluctuation improvement effect. The passive vertical stability augmentation generally uses an elastic member (e.g., an elastic member 50 appearing later) to restrict the position of the pan-tilt or the photographing device in the vertical direction, and when vertical shake occurs and the pan-tilt or the photographing device is shifted in the vertical direction, the elastic member uses its restoring force to reset the pan-tilt or the photographing device in the vertical direction.

The installation position of the stability augmentation motor 62 is not limited herein as long as power for load movement can be provided. For example, stability augmentation motor 62 may be mounted on support 60.

In addition to stability augmentation motor 62, load coupling 80, vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 may also include coupling 220. The connection mechanism 220 may be disposed between the stability augmentation motor 62 and the load connection portion 80, and may drive the load connection portion 80 and the load thereon to move vertically under the driving of the stability augmentation motor 62.

The connection mechanism 220 has mainly two functions. First, the motion of the stability augmentation motor 62 is transmitted to the load connection 80, causing the load connection 80 to move. Secondly, the movement of the load connection 80 and the load thereon is limited to movement only or predominantly vertically.

There are various kinds of connection mechanisms 220 that can achieve the above functions, such as a rack and pinion mechanism, a crank block mechanism, a ball screw, and the like. In one embodiment, the connection mechanism 220 may include a connection component 223. One end of the connection member 223 is connected to the load connection portion 80, and the other end is rotatably connected to the support member 60. The link assembly 223 is rotatable about the support 60 under the drive of the stability augmentation motor 62. The load connection 80 and the load thereon are movable vertically under the drive of the rotating connection assembly 223. By controlling the motion direction, the motion amplitude and the like of the stability augmentation motor 62, the vertical motion amount of the load driven by the stability augmentation motor 62 can be counteracted or partially counteracted with the shaking amount of the load in the vertical direction.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the connection assembly 223 comprises a four bar linkage. The four bar linkage includes a first rail portion 222, a second rail portion 224 opposite the first rail portion 222, and a vertical bar portion 226 connected between the first and second rail portions 222, 224. For ease of description, the connection assembly 223 and the load connection 80 may be collectively referred to as the load bearing assembly 30. One ends of the first and second rail portions 222 and 224 are connected to the vertical rod portion 226, and the other ends of the first and second rail portions 222 and 224 are connected to the fixed portion 228. The fixed portion 228 is disposed opposite the vertical rod portion 226. In operation of the four bar linkage, the fixed portion 228 may be considered a relatively stationary component, with the first cross bar portion 222, the second cross bar portion 224, and the vertical bar portion 226 all moving about the fixed portion 228. The first cross bar portion 222, the second cross bar portion 224, and the vertical bar portion 226 may be considered as the respective bars of a four bar linkage.

The stem portion 226 may be integrally formed with the load coupling portion 80 and together comprise a relatively independent member. The vertical rod portion 226 may be fixedly connected to the load connection portion 80 in a detachable or non-detachable manner. The fixed portion 228 may be provided or attached to the support portion 10. For example, the fixed portion 228 may be integrally formed with the support portion 10 and be part of the support 60. The fixed portion 228 may be fixedly mounted to the support portion 10 in a detachable or non-detachable manner.

Both ends of the first cross bar 222 are hinged to the vertical rod 226 and the fixed part 228, and the hinge points are S1 and S3. The two ends of the second cross bar 224 are hinged to the vertical rod 226 and the fixed portion 228, and the hinge points are S2 and S4 respectively. The connecting line of the hinging points S1 and S3 is S1S3, the connecting line of the hinging points S2 and S4 is S2S4, and the S1S3 and the S2S4 are parallel and equal. That is, the four-bar linkage constitutes a parallelogram frame mechanism. The arrangement described above allows the angle between adjacent bars (e.g., the angle between the first cross bar portion 222 and the vertical bar portion 226, or the angle between the second cross bar portion 224 and the vertical bar portion 226) to be varied. The opposite sides always remain parallel regardless of the angle of change. The stem portion 226 may remain upright during relative movement of the sides. The first cross bar portion 222, the second cross bar portion 224, the vertical bar portion 226, and the fixed portion 228 may be considered four sides of a four bar linkage. More precisely, the lines S1S3, S2S4, S1S2 and S3S4 of adjacent hinge points are regarded as four sides of the four-bar linkage.

The stability augmentation motor 62 may act on the first cross bar portion 222 or the second cross bar portion 224 to rotate the first cross bar portion 222 and the second cross bar portion 224 clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the fixed portion 228, so as to drive the vertical rod portion 226 to rise or fall. In the embodiment shown, the stability augmentation motor 62 is fixed to the support 10 and provides rotational power to the second rail 224 (or the first rail 222) via a crank-rocker mechanism or rocker 66 (described in more detail below).

The first rail portion 222 may include a vertical extension 2223. The second cross-bar 224 may include a vertical extension 2243. The vertical extension 2223 and the vertical extension 2243 may form a vertical housing to prevent foreign objects from entering the cavity enclosed by the four bar linkage.

The vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 may also include an elastic member 50. The component of the elastic force (balance force) generated by the elastic member 50 in the vertical direction can be used to balance the gravity of the photographing device C, the gravity of the cradle head, and the dead weight of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22. In other words, the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 can balance the gravity of the photographing device C and the pan/tilt head by means of the elastic force of the elastic member 50. Without the provision of the resilient member 50, the stability augmentation motor 62 or other components would be required to provide force to the four bar linkage to balance the weight of the load.

The elastic member 50 may be a spring, such as a coil spring. The elastic member 50 may be mounted in various manners, for example, one end of the elastic member 50 may be mounted on the fixed portion 228 or the supporting portion 10, and the other end may be mounted on the vertical rod portion 226, the first cross rod portion 222 or the second cross rod portion 224. The installed elastic member 50 may provide a force to the four-bar mechanism that resists downward rotation of the first rail portion 222, the second rail portion 224, and thus may act to balance or partially balance the weight of the load (e.g., the camera C, the pan/tilt head 24, etc.).

Without the stability augmentation motor 62, the elastic member 50 can passively and naturally respond to the shake of the photographing device C in the vertical direction and drive the load to perform corresponding compensation movement. Except that the compensation process is slower and the compensation effect is significantly weaker than that of the stability augmentation motor 62.

The vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 with the stability augmentation motor 62 and the elastic member 50 can balance the gravity of the photographing device C and the pan-tilt device 20, and can actively eliminate the influence of the vertical shake of the photographing system 100 on the photographing device C. It should be noted that the vertical shake generally refers to a shake having a vertical component, that is, as long as the shake of the photographing system 100 has a component in the vertical direction, it may be referred to as a vertical shake. In other words, the macroscopic motion direction of the vertical shake photographing system 100 is not necessarily vertical, but may have a certain angle with the vertical.

[ adaptive adjustment of load weight ]

The vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 may also include an elastic member adjustment mechanism. The spring adjustment mechanism may include an adjustment assembly. The adjusting component is used for adjusting the elastic force (such as a tensile force) of the elastic member 50, particularly, the component of the elastic force in the vertical direction, so that the elastic member can be matched with the photographing device C and the cradle head device 20 with different weights. The elastic force of the elastic member 50 can be adjusted by adjusting the length or deformation degree of the elastic member 50. In the case where the elastic force of the elastic member 50 is kept unchanged, the component of the elastic force in the vertical direction can be changed as well by adjusting the direction of the elastic force provided by the elastic member 50, so that loads of different weights can be balanced. The weight of the load can also be adapted by simultaneously adjusting the magnitude and direction of the elastic force of the elastic member 50.

The adjusting assembly can be used for adjusting the mounting position of the end parts 52, 54 of the elastic member 50 connected with the adjusting assembly on the adjusting assembly under the action of external force so as to adjust the deformation degree of the elastic member 50. When the deformation degree changes, the elastic member 50 drives the bearing assembly 30 to rotate relative to the supporting member 60 to adjust the position of the load on the load connection portion 80 in the vertical movement stroke. For example, when the weight of the load is large, the adjusting component is used for adjusting the installation position of the end portion on the adjusting component towards the first direction under the action of external force so as to increase the deformation degree of the elastic component 50, and when the deformation degree is increased, the elastic component 50 drives the connecting component 223 to rotate relative to the supporting component 60 so as to adjust the position of the load in the vertical direction. When the weight of the load is small, the adjusting component is further used for adjusting the installation position of the end part on the adjusting component towards the second direction under the action of external force so as to reduce the deformation degree of the elastic component 50, and when the deformation degree is reduced, the elastic component 50 drives the connecting component 223 to rotate relative to the supporting component 60 so as to downwards adjust the position of the load in the vertical direction.

For example, the adjustment assembly may be matched to different weights of cameras C by adjusting the height of the end 52 of the resilient member 50 relative to the fixed portion 228. The adjusting assembly may include an adjusting lever 34, an adjusting sleeve 36 sleeved with the adjusting lever 34, and an operating portion 32. The adjustment lever 34 is rotatably provided to the setting portion 228 or the support portion 10. The length direction of the adjustment lever 34 is parallel or substantially parallel to the length direction of the fixed portion 228, i.e., the adjustment lever 34 is disposed substantially vertically. The adjusting rod 34 may have a cylindrical shape, and an external thread is provided on a cylindrical surface thereof. For example, the adjustment lever 34 may be a screw. The fixing portion 228 has a recess 2282 formed at a side facing the vertical rod portion 226, and the adjusting rod 34 is disposed in the recess 2282, so that the adjusting sleeve 36 can extend into the recess 2282 to be connected with the adjusting rod 34.

The adjustment sleeve 36 may be a sleeve having internal threads, such as a lead screw nut. The internal threads of the adjustment sleeve 36 can be adapted to the external threads of the adjustment rod 34 to achieve a threaded connection of the adjustment sleeve 36 to the adjustment rod 34. The arrangement is such that when the adjustment lever 34 is rotated, the adjustment sleeve 36 moves vertically up and down relative to the adjustment lever 34 and the fixed portion 228.

The adjustment sleeve 36 is provided with a mounting portion 365 for mounting the end 52 of the elastic member 50. In the present embodiment, the end 52 of the elastic member 50 is rotatably mounted on the boss 362. For example, one side of the adjustment sleeve 36 may be outwardly convex to form a boss 362, with a cylindrical mounting portion 365 formed on the boss 362. Correspondingly, a hook (not labeled in the figure) can be arranged on the end 52 of the elastic element 50, and the hook is sleeved on the mounting column 365 in a rotatable manner.

The operation portion 32 protrudes from the surface of the fixed portion 228. The operating portion 32 allows a user to directly or indirectly operate to rotate the adjustment lever 34. In the present embodiment, the operation portion 32 has a substantially circular truncated cone shape, and the circumferential side surface thereof has a surface with a certain roughness so that the user can more easily operate the adjustment lever 34 to rotate. It is understood that the operation portion 32 may be an elliptical platform or a polygonal platform.

The connection position of the adjustment sleeve 36 to the adjustment lever 34, i.e., the connection height of the end 52 of the elastic member 50 with respect to the fixed portion 228, can be adjusted by rotating the adjustment lever 34. By adjusting the height of the connection of the end 52 of the elastic member 50 with respect to the fixed portion 228, the elastic force of the elastic member 50 can be adjusted. Therefore, the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 can adjust the elastic force of the elastic member 50 according to the weight of the load that it needs to carry. The load may be the camera C and the pan/tilt head 24. In some cases, the load may include only the photographing device C.

The vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 may further include a position adjustment motor 38, and the position adjustment motor 38 may drive the adjustment lever 34 to rotate, thereby automatically adjusting the elastic force of the elastic member 50. The automatic adjustment by the position adjustment motor 38 can more quickly and accurately balance the currently mounted load than manual adjustment. The position adjustment motor 38 may be provided at an upper end of the fixed portion 228.

Illustratively, the position adjustment motor 38 may be any type of motor. This is referred to herein as a position adjustment motor only to better distinguish it from other motors.

To better achieve accurate adjustment of the position adjustment motor 38, a sensor may be provided to obtain information related to the position of the load connection 80. The processor can control the rotation of the position adjustment motor 38 based on the information to actively adjust the force provided by the resilient member 50 to the four bar linkage to a range appropriate for the load.

The sensor may include an angle sensor to assist the processor in determining the direction and amount of rotation of the position adjustment motor 38. The angle sensor may be used to measure the angle of rotation of the carrier assembly 30 relative to the support 60. When the rotation angle is within the first angle range, the adjusting component is used for adjusting the mounting position of the end 52 of the elastic member 50 on the adjusting component towards the first direction under the action of external force so as to increase the deformation degree of the elastic member 50. When the rotation angle is within the second angle range, the adjusting component is used for adjusting the installation position of the end 52 of the elastic piece 50 on the adjusting component towards the second direction under the action of external force so as to reduce the deformation degree of the elastic piece 50.

In particular, an angle sensor may be used to detect the angle formed between the second cross-bar 224 and the fixed portion 228. For example, when the second cross bar 224 is tilted upward by the load, as shown in fig. 6, the angle measured by the angle sensor is smaller than 90 degrees, and the processor determines that the load is lighter, the adjusting sleeve 36 needs to be adjusted downward to change the direction of the elastic force of the elastic member 50 (reduce the vertical component thereof) and shorten the length of the elastic member 50. Correspondingly, the processor will control the position adjustment motor 38 to rotate in a particular direction and magnitude such that the second cross-bar 224 is perpendicular to the fixed portion 228.

For another example, when the second cross bar 224 is inclined downward by the load, as shown in fig. 7, the angle measured by the angle sensor is greater than 90 degrees, and the processor can determine that the load is heavy, and the adjusting sleeve 36 needs to be adjusted upward to change the direction of the elastic force of the elastic member 50 (increase the vertical component thereof) and increase the length of the elastic member 50, so that the vertical force which can be used for balancing the load increases. Correspondingly, the processor will control the position adjustment motor 38 to rotate in a particular direction and magnitude such that the second cross-bar 224 is perpendicular to the fixed portion 228.

The second cross-bar 224 and the fixed portion 228 are perpendicular (i.e., the angle measured by the angle sensor is 90 degrees) to determine whether the load matches the state of the elastic member 50. In other embodiments, other angles may be used as a reference to determine whether the load matches the state of the elastic member.

In addition, the sensor may include a position sensor for detecting a mounting position of the end of the elastic member 50 (the ends 52, 54 of the elastic member 50) connected to the adjustment assembly on the adjustment assembly. For example, a position sensor (not shown) may be provided for detecting the position of the adjustment sleeve 36. The processor can timely grasp the position information of the adjusting sleeve 36 through the position sensor. This facilitates control of the control motor 38 by the processor.

The above-described embodiment adjusts the elastic force of the elastic member 50 by adjusting the position of the end of the elastic member 50 in the vertical direction, thereby to accommodate or balance loads of different weights. In other embodiments, the change in load weight may also be accommodated by manually or by using a motor or the like to move the position of the end of the resilient member 50 laterally. For example, the height of the end of the elastic member 50 may be maintained, and the elastic force of the elastic member 50 may be adjusted by moving the adjustment lever 34 laterally.

[ Forward inverted double operating mode ]

In general, on a photographing system having a vertical stability augmentation mechanism, a cradle head device is disposed below a body of the photographing system. When the shooting task is executed, due to the blocking of the body and the body fixing device, the shooting device cannot complete shooting of a scene needing 360 degrees surrounding, or the problems that the scene right above cannot be shot and the like occur.

In order to have both forward and reverse working modes, the vertical stability augmentation mechanism 22 can effectively realize the vertical stability augmentation function in both working modes, and the elastic member adjusting mechanism for adjusting the elastic force of the elastic member 50 can be further improved.

The elastic member adjusting mechanism can be used for adjusting the positions of the two end parts 52 and 54 of the elastic member 50, so that the elastic member 50 has more states, and can provide proper balance force for loads in a forward state and proper balance force for loads in an inverted state.

The spring adjustment mechanism may include an adjustment assembly disposed at the fixed portion 228 for adjusting the position of the end 52 of the spring 50. The adjustment assembly may include an adjustment lever 34, an adjustment sleeve 36, and an operating portion 32, as previously described. The spring adjustment mechanism may also include a switch assembly disposed at the stem 226 for adjusting the other end position of the spring 50. The switching assembly is used for switching the end 54 of the elastic member 50 between a plurality of preset positions under the action of external force. When the end 54 of the elastic member 50 is switched to the predetermined position, the connection assembly 223 rotates relative to the support member 60 under the elastic force of the elastic member 50 to switch to the predetermined working configuration. The preset position corresponds to the preset working form.

It will be readily appreciated that a change in the position of the end 54 of the resilient member 50 will cause a change in the resilient force provided by the resilient member 50 to the four-bar linkage, which in turn drives a change in the angle between adjacent bars within the four-bar linkage, thereby causing a change in the condition/position of the load connection 80 and the load thereon. Thus, each predetermined position of the end 54 of the resilient member 50 corresponds to an operating condition of the load (or vertical stability augmentation mechanism).

For example, when the end 54 of the elastic member 50 is switched to the first preset position (for example, a forward operation position, which will be described later), the connection assembly 223 is switched to the first preset operation configuration (for example, a forward operation configuration, which will be shown in fig. 9) by the driving of the elastic force, and when the connection assembly 223 is a four-bar mechanism, the connection assembly 223 is switched to the first angle configuration by the driving of the elastic force, so that in the forward operation mode, the elastic member 50 can provide an upward component force to a load (for example, a photographing device) through the load connection portion 80, which supports the load through the elastic force of the elastic member, and balances the gravity of the load. When the end of the elastic member 50 is switched to the second preset position (for example, may be an inverted operation position described later), the connection assembly 223 is switched to the second preset operation configuration (for example, may be an inverted operation configuration shown in fig. 10) by the driving of the elastic force, and when the connection assembly 223 is a four bar mechanism, the connection assembly 223 is switched to the second angle configuration by the driving of the elastic force, so that the elastic member 50 may still provide an upward component force to a load (for example, a photographing device) through the load connection portion 80, and the load connection portion 80 supports the load by the elastic force of the elastic member and balances the gravity of the load in the inverted operation mode.

The switch assembly may be disposed on the stem portion 226 and may include a crankshaft 42 and a switch handle 44. The crankshaft 42 may include a rotation shaft portion 423 at both sides, an eccentric portion 427 at a middle region and disposed offset from the rotation axis, and a connection portion 425 formed by extending the rotation shaft portion 423 outward and connected between the rotation shaft portion 423 and the eccentric portion 427.

The vertical rod portion 226 is provided with two shaft holes 2264. The crankshaft 42 is rotatably mounted to the vertical rod portion 226 by mounting the rotation shaft portion 423 in the shaft hole 2264. The line connecting the two shaft holes 2264 is the rotation axis. Eccentric portion 427 is disposed a distance from the axis of rotation, the length of which is affected by connection portion 425. The eccentric portion 427 is provided with a recess 4272, and the recess 4272 may serve as a mounting portion for mounting the elastic member 50. The pivotal mounting between the resilient member 50 and the eccentric 427 is achieved by hooking a hook (not shown) at the end 54 of the resilient member 50 into the pocket 4272. This allows the end of the resilient member 50 to follow the change in position of the eccentric portion 427, thereby changing the direction and magnitude of the resilient force of the resilient member 50 and allowing the hook 54 to rotate relative to the pocket 4272.

The switching handle 44 may include a linkage portion 442 fixed to the rotation shaft portion 423 and a knob portion 444 connected to the linkage portion 442 for user operation. The linkage portion 442 may have a cylindrical shape, and a shaft mounting hole 4422 is provided therein. The rotation shaft portion 423 on one side of the crankshaft 42 penetrates the shaft hole 2264 and is fixed in the shaft mounting hole 4422. The knob portion 444 may have a plate shape for a user to rotate. The knob portion 444 is fixedly connected to the linkage portion 442.

By turning the knob 444, the crankshaft 42 can be driven to rotate, so as to drive the end 54 of the elastic member 50 to switch at different positions. During rotation of the crankshaft 42, the eccentric portion 427 and the end 54 of the elastic member 50 fixed thereto may be located at any position corresponding to a position of the elastic member 50. In the present embodiment, the knob portion 444 can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise within a certain angle range, and can be stably held at two limit positions (one of the limit positions corresponds to the limit position of clockwise rotation, and the other limit position corresponds to the limit position of counterclockwise rotation).

A stop 2268 may be provided at each of the upper and lower positions outside the stem 226. At each extreme position, the knob portion 444 or the linkage portion 442 abuts one of the stops 2268. The knob portion 444 may be maintained at the limit position by the blocking action of the stopper 2268 and the elastic force of the elastic member 50.

These two extreme positions serve as two switchable operating positions: the forward working position and the reverse working position correspond to the forward state and the reverse state of the load respectively. Wherein, in the forward state, the end 54 of the elastic member 50 is rotated to be adjacent to the second cross bar 224; in the inverted state, the end 54 of the elastic member 50 is rotated to be adjacent to the first rail 222. In other embodiments, there may be more working positions. One part of the working positions are suitable for being used in a forward state, and the other part of the working positions are suitable for being used in an inverted state.

In use in the forward direction, the knob portion 444 is rotated to switch to the forward operating position such that the end 54 of the resilient member 50 is adjacent the second rail portion 224. The change in position of the end 54 of the resilient member 50 causes a change in the direction of the spring force, the four-bar linkage swings upward relative to the support member 60, and the four-bar linkage switches to a first angular state, the final state being shown in fig. 9. To further optimize the vertical height of the load, the position of the adjustment sleeve 36 on the adjustment rod 34 can be further adjusted. For example, the other end 52 of the resilient member 50 may be further positioned adjacent the first rail 222 to better balance the load by moving the adjustment sleeve 36 upward on the adjustment rod 34.

In inverted use, the knob portion 444 is rotated to switch it to the inverted operative position such that the end 54 of the resilient member 50 is adjacent the first rail portion 222. The change in position of the end 54 of the elastic member 50 causes a change in direction of the elastic force, the four-bar linkage swings downward relative to the support member 60, and the four-bar cabinet is switched to the second angular state, and the final state can be shown in fig. 10. To further optimize the vertical height of the load, the position of the adjustment sleeve 36 on the adjustment rod 34 can be further adjusted. For example, the other end 52 of the resilient member 50 may be positioned adjacent the second rail 224 to better balance the load by further moving the adjustment sleeve 36 downward on the adjustment rod 34, if desired.

In other embodiments, the knob portion 444 for manual operation by the user may not be provided, but may be replaced with an automatic drive device (e.g., a motor, which may be referred to as a switch motor in order to distinguish it from other motors elsewhere). The processor determines whether the entire apparatus is in the forward state or the reverse state by a sensor (i.e., a body state detection module). When it is determined that the device is in the forward use state, the processor controls the automatic driving means to drive the end 54 of the elastic member 50 to switch to the forward working position. When it is determined that the apparatus is in the inverted use state, the processor controls the automatic driving means to drive the end 54 of the elastic member 50 to switch to the inverted operation position. In other embodiments, the knob portion 444 for manual operation and the automatic driving means capable of automatic operation may be provided at the same time.

In addition, the spring adjustment mechanism for the position of the end 54 of the spring 50 may not be limited to the crankshaft 42, but may be replaced with other spring adjustment mechanisms. For example, the crankshaft 42 may be replaced with an adjustment sleeve 36 and an adjustment rod 34 as previously described. That is, both end portions 52, 54 of the elastic member 50 are regulated by the fitting structure of the regulating sleeve 36 and the regulating lever 34.

Furthermore, the position of the end 52 of the elastic member 50 can be adjusted by the switching unit, and the position of the end 54 of the elastic member 50 can be adjusted by the adjusting unit.

Corresponding to the forward and reverse double working states, a predetermined program can be loaded in a processor in the shooting system, so that the shooting system has a forward working mode and an reverse working mode. In the forward mode of operation and the reverse mode of operation, the processor performs different operations on various components within the camera system (particularly the pan-tilt device). For example, in the forward mode of operation, under control of the processor, the holder device may be automatically adjusted to a suitable state, such as the end 54 of the resilient member 50 may be adjusted adjacent the second rail 224. In the inverted mode of operation, the holder assembly may be automatically adjusted to a suitable condition under the control of the processor, for example, the end 54 of the resilient member 50 may be adjusted adjacent the first rail portion 222.

A camera body state detection module (sensor) can be arranged on the shooting system. The body state detection module is used for determining whether the shooting system is in a forward state or an inverted state. The processor can automatically switch the shooting system to a forward working mode or an inverted working mode according to the machine body state information provided by the machine body state detection module.

A mode switch (e.g., with the switch handle 44 described above) may also be provided on the camera system for manual operation by the user. When the mode changeover switch is detected to be in the forward working position, the processor switches the shooting system to the forward working mode. When the mode switching switch is detected to be in the inversion working position, the processor switches the shooting system to the inversion working mode.

[ Limit position Power off Lock ]

The connection mechanism 220 may also include a transmission coupled between the stability augmentation motor 62 and a connection assembly (e.g., a four bar linkage). When the stability augmentation motor 62 rotates, the driving element drives the connecting assembly (e.g. the first cross bar 222 and the second cross bar 224) to rotate relative to the supporting element 60, so as to achieve the vertical stability augmentation of the load carried on the load connecting portion.

The transmission may include a rocker 66. The first end of the rocker 66 eccentrically rotates the outer rotor connected to the stability augmentation motor 62, wherein a connection point S between the rocker 66 and the outer rotor, a rotation center (shaft) R of the stability augmentation motor 62 may be as shown in fig. 11. The second end of the rocker 66 is rotatably connected (hinged) to the second rail 224 or the first rail 222. The connection mode ensures that the motion rule of the rocker 66 meets the motion rule of the rocker in the crank rocker mechanism. The connection point S to the rotation center (shaft) R line SR (non-solid structure) can be regarded as a crank in a crank rocker mechanism.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support 60 is U-shaped. The number of stability augmentation motors 62 is two and symmetrically disposed at both ends of the support 60. Correspondingly, the rockers 66 are two. The first ends of the two rockers 66 are connected to corresponding stability augmentation motors 62. The second ends of the two rockers 66 are symmetrically hinged to the connecting assembly, specifically to both sides of the second cross-bar 224.

In another embodiment, the connection mechanism 220 may comprise a more complete crank and rocker mechanism, i.e., a combination of the crank 64 (FIG. 11) and the rocker 66. Wherein, a first end of the crank 64 is connected to the stability augmentation motor 62 in a coaxial rotation manner (the crank 64 rotates around a rotation center axis R of the stability augmentation motor 62), a second end of the crank 64 is hinged to a first end of the rocker 66, and a second end of the rocker 66 is hinged to the second cross bar 224 (or the first cross bar 222). The second cross-bar 224 is rotatable relative to the fixed portion 228. The stability augmentation motor 62 may be fixed to the stationary portion 228. The crank 64 corresponds to the connecting line SR in the previous embodiment.

During the rotation of the stability augmentation motor 62, the second cross bar 224 may reciprocate up and down under the driving of the rocker 66, and has a highest position and a lowest position. In both the uppermost and lowermost positions, the crank 64 and rocker 66 are connected in a straight line, forming a dead point. At the dead point, the force transmitted by the second rail 224, the rocker 66 to the crank 64 cannot generate a moment turning the crank.

The limiting portions 65, 67 may be provided at positions near the dead center of the rocker 66 to lock the state of the rocker 66 in the event that the stability augmentation motor 62 is powered off, thereby locking the state of the vertical stability augmentation mechanism or the load in the vertical direction. For example, the first stopper 65 may be provided near the highest position. The first limiting portion 65 may be disposed on the first rail portion 222. During the clockwise rotation of the crank 64 by the stability augmentation motor 62, the second cross bar 224 rotates clockwise and is continuously raised in height. When the crank 64 is in line (partially coincident) with the rocker 66, the second cross bar 224 reaches its uppermost position. This position is the clockwise limit of the crank and rocker mechanism. After continuing to rotate a small distance in the clockwise direction, the rocker 66 will be able to contact the first limit 65, as shown in fig. 11.

In this state, the second rail 224 in the high position has a tendency to move downward. However, since the crank and rocker mechanism has passed the clockwise limit, the downward trend of the second cross bar 224 will translate into a clockwise trend of the crank 64 and rocker 66. The crank 64 and the rocker 66 cannot continue to rotate clockwise due to the blocking of the first limiting portion 65. This allows the crank 64, rocker 66, second rail 224, etc. to be stably fixed in this position. That is, in this state, even if the stability augmentation motor 62 is powered off, the state of the rocker 66 and the vertical stability augmentation mechanism can be locked.

A second stopper 67 may be provided in the vicinity of the lowest position. The second limit portion 67 may be disposed on the second cross bar portion 224. During the rotation of the crank 64 in the counterclockwise direction by the stability augmentation motor 62, the second cross bar 224 rotates in the counterclockwise direction and the height is continuously reduced. When the crank 64 is in line with the rocker 66, the second cross bar 224 reaches its lowermost position. This position is the counterclockwise limit of the crank and rocker mechanism. After continuing to rotate a distance in the counter-clockwise direction, the rocker 66 will be able to contact the second stop 67, as shown in fig. 12.

In this state, the second rail 224 has a tendency to move upward. However, since the crank and rocker mechanism has passed the counterclockwise limit, the tendency of the second cross-bar 224 to move upward will translate into a tendency of the crank 64 and rocker 66 to rotate counterclockwise. The crank 64 and the rocker 66 cannot continue to rotate counterclockwise due to the blocking of the second limiting portion 67. This allows the crank 64, rocker 66, second rail 224, etc. to be stably fixed in this position. That is, in this state, even if the stability augmentation motor 62 is powered off, the state of the rocker 66 and the vertical stability augmentation mechanism can be locked.

In a normal working state, the stability augmentation motor 62 can be used to drive the crank 64 and the rocker 66 to move between a highest position (not including) and a lowest position (not including) so as to realize a vertical active stability augmentation function.

When the vertical stability augmentation mechanism is not required to work, a user can manually or rotate the second cross rod portion 224 by a large angle by using the stability augmentation motor 62, so that the rocker 66 abuts against and is stabilized at the first limit portion 65 or the second limit portion 67.

The crank rocker mechanism can meet the basic function that the stability augmentation motor 62 drives the second cross rod 224 to swing, and can provide a locking function for the second cross rod 224 under the condition that the stability augmentation motor 62 is powered off. The structure is compact because such functions are realized on one set of mechanism.

In the above embodiment, only one limit portion may be provided. For example, only the first stopper 65 or only the second stopper 67 may be provided.

As shown in the figure, the connection assembly 223 is provided with a limiting portion, and when the stability augmentation motor 62 rotates to a preset angle, the driving member abuts against the limiting portion to limit the load to move along a specific vertical direction. Specifically, when the stability augmentation motor rotates, the connecting assembly is driven to rotate relative to the supporting member through the transmission member, the load borne on the load connecting portion can move in the vertical direction (vertical direction), when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a preset angle, the transmission member abuts against the limiting portion to limit the load to move in the specific vertical direction, and therefore when the stability augmentation motor rotates to the preset angle, if the load or the connecting assembly has a tendency of moving in the specific vertical direction, the load is limited to move in the specific vertical direction under the blocking of the limiting portion.

For example, a first limiting portion may be disposed on the connecting component, and when the stability augmentation motor 62 rotates to a first preset angle, the driving member abuts against the first limiting portion to limit the load to move along a first vertical direction. For example, when the stability augmentation motor rotates in the first rotation direction, the driving element drives the connecting assembly to rotate relative to the supporting element, the load borne on the load connecting portion can move upwards, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a first preset angle, the driving element abuts against the limiting portion to limit the load to move in a specific vertical direction, and therefore when the stability augmentation motor rotates to the first preset angle, if the load or the connecting assembly has a downward movement tendency, the load is limited to move downwards under the blocking of the limiting portion.

When the stability augmentation motor rotates to a first preset angle from a first reference angle along a first rotation direction, the transmission piece abuts against the first limiting part to limit the load to move along a first vertical direction, wherein the stability augmentation motor rotates to the first preset angle from the first reference angle along the first rotation direction, the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece are not in a dead point state, and the first reference angle is an angle at which the stability augmentation motor rotates when the stability augmentation motor and the transmission assembly are in the first dead point state. The mechanism formed by the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece is provided with one or more dead points, when the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece are positioned at a first dead point, the stability augmentation motor rotates to a first reference angle, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to the first reference angle, the load can be positioned at the highest position in the vertical stroke, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a first preset angle from the first reference angle along the first rotation direction, and the transmission piece abuts against the first limiting part to limit the load to move (downwards) along the first vertical direction.

For another example, a second limiting portion may be further disposed on the connecting component, and when the stability augmentation motor 62 rotates to a second preset angle, the driving member abuts against the second limiting portion to limit the load to move along a second vertical direction. For example, when the stability augmentation motor rotates in the second rotation direction, the driving element drives the connecting assembly to rotate relative to the supporting element, the load borne on the load connecting portion can move downwards, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle, the driving element abuts against the limiting portion to limit the load to move in a specific vertical direction, and therefore when the stability augmentation motor rotates to the second preset angle, if the load or the connecting assembly has a tendency to move upwards, the load is limited to move upwards under the blocking of the limiting portion.

When the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle from a second reference angle along a second rotation direction, the transmission piece supports against the second limiting part to limit the load to move along a second vertical direction, wherein the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle from the second reference angle along the second rotation direction, the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece are not in a dead point state, and the second reference angle is an angle at which the stability augmentation motor rotates when the stability augmentation motor and the transmission assembly are in a second dead point state.

When the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle from a second reference angle along a second rotation direction, the transmission piece supports against the second limiting part to limit the load to move along a second vertical direction, wherein the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle from the second reference angle along the second rotation direction, the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece are not in a dead point state, and the second reference angle is an angle at which the stability augmentation motor rotates when the stability augmentation motor and the transmission assembly are in a second dead point state. The mechanism formed by the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece is provided with one or more dead points, when the stability augmentation motor and the transmission piece are positioned at a second dead point, the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second reference angle, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to the second reference angle, the load can be positioned at the lowest position in the vertical stroke, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle from the second reference angle along the second rotation direction, and the transmission piece abuts against the second limiting part to limit the load to move along the second vertical direction.

It is noted that relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one … …" does not exclude the presence of other like elements in a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the methods and apparatus provided in embodiments of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the principles and embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in any way that is used to facilitate the understanding of the method and core concepts of the present invention; meanwhile, as those skilled in the art will have variations in the specific embodiments and application scope in accordance with the ideas of the present invention, the present description should not be construed as limiting the present invention in view of the above.

The disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright is owned by the copyright owner. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the patent and trademark office patent files or records.

Claims

1. The utility model provides a vertical stability augmentation mechanism which characterized in that, vertical stability augmentation mechanism includes:

a load connection portion for carrying a load;

a support;

the device comprises a stability augmentation motor and a rocker, wherein the stability augmentation motor and the rocker are arranged on the support piece, a first end of the rocker is eccentrically connected with an outer rotor of the stability augmentation motor in a rotating mode, and a second end of the rocker is connected with the connecting assembly;

The stability augmentation motor is used for driving the connecting assembly to rotate around the supporting piece through the rocker so as to vertically augment the load borne on the load connecting part;

the connecting assembly is provided with a limiting part, when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a preset angle, the rocker abuts against the limiting part, and after the stability augmentation motor is powered off, the stability augmentation motor can still be kept at the preset angle due to the blocking of the limiting part on the rocker so as to lock the position of the load in the vertical direction.

2. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

and the elastic piece is used for acting on the connecting assembly and is used for providing support for the connecting assembly and balancing force for balancing the load.

3. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the connection assembly comprises a first rail portion, a second rail portion opposite the first rail portion, and a vertical rod portion connected between the first rail portion and the second rail portion, the vertical rod portion being connected to the load connection portion.

4. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 3, wherein the support member is further provided with another stability augmentation motor, and two stability augmentation motors are disposed on both sides of the support member.

5. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 4, wherein the support member is further provided with another rocker, the two rockers are disposed on two sides of the support member, a first end of the other rocker is eccentrically rotatably connected to an outer rotor of the other stability augmentation motor, and a second end of the two rockers is rotatably connected to the first cross bar portion or the second cross bar portion.

6. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 5, wherein a first limit portion is provided on the first cross bar portion, and when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a first preset angle, the rocker abuts against the first limit portion to limit the load to move in a first vertical direction; and/or the number of the groups of groups,

and a second limiting part is arranged on the second cross rod part, and when the stability augmentation motor rotates to a second preset angle, the rocker abuts against the second limiting part to limit the load to move along a second vertical direction.

7. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

the sensor is used for acquiring the motion value or the position change value of the load in the vertical direction;

and the processor is used for calculating the rotation direction and the amplitude of the stability augmentation motor according to the motion magnitude or the position change magnitude and generating a control instruction according to the rotation direction and the amplitude of the stability augmentation motor so as to control the rotation of the stability augmentation motor.

8. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the load connection is configured to carry a load through a tri-axial pan/tilt.

9. The vertical stability augmentation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the load comprises a camera.