DE102014007973A1 - Nodalpunktadapter - Google Patents

Abstract

Content of the invention is the advantageous construction of such Nodalpunktadapters with the smallest possible dimensions and ease of use, for which the adjustment mechanisms for height and distance adjustment and details of the camera attachment have been revised. According to the invention, the drives are immovably fixed to the frame structure in position and a rail system with radially displaceable to the vertical axis of rotation slide for distance adjustment available, wherein the carriage has an adjusting device for height adjustment transversely to the lens axis. The invention is suitable for the construction of Nodalpunktadaptern in all areas of panoramic and Gigapixel photography.

Description

The invention relates to a so-called Nodalpunktadapter, as it is known from the panoramic or Gigapixel photography ago. This special form of panoramic head pivots and tilts the imaging camera from image to image around defined axes while always keeping the pivot point in line with the center of the camera's front entrance pupil to avoid parallax errors. While the simplest constructions provide only one axis of rotation, preferably for horizontal rotation, nodal point adapters with one horizontal and one vertical axis have found widespread use, in which both axes of rotation intersect at the point of rotation. Following the known polar coordinate system, the horizontal angle divides the longitudes and the vertical angle the latitudes - this independent of the position of use. When adjusting the horizontal angle, the pivot bearing or the rotary drive for the vertical angle as a whole is logically twisted horizontally with.

In the present specification, the term nodal point adapter assumes that the adjustment of the camera entrance pupil with respect to the pivot point along and transversely to the direction of picking is possible without the addition or removal of additional support or fastening elements. For practically all camera models to be used, the tripod connection with the thread is located exactly in the middle of the lens, so that a distance and a height adjustment, but not a side adjustment of the camera are required.

As drives here both motorized, as well as manual drives - in the simplest case pivotal bearings with Winkelarretierung - called.

Known are such Nodalpunktadapter in U-shape, z. B. off DE 103 59 361 , and in L-form, z. B. off DE 10 2008 038 470 , The U-shape is generally associated with a higher load capacity and stability, but this is only partially true. More compact dimensions are definitely achievable with the L-shape, which is why this is considered here in more detail. If one excludes further such space-demanding solutions in which the recording camera is mounted and adjusted in landscape format on an additional mounted angle, all known solutions have the constructive basic principle that the camera is slidably mounted on a rail system for the distance setting, this rail system the vertical drive is connected, both the horizontal, as well as the vertical drive is attached to a common frame, while the horizontal drive on the frame is displaceable in order to realize the height adjustment of the camera. As a framework, profile constructions are used, on which all other assemblies are mounted open. In view of a consistent lightweight construction and the goal to realize a closed device housing, hollow profiles are more favorable, in which all functional modules are installed. A displaceable arrangement of the horizontal drive and the einzuplanende maximum displacement would generate in this case but lost volume and is thus contrary to a compact design with the smallest possible volume.

Content of the invention is the advantageous construction of such Nodalpunktadapters, the technical object is to achieve the smallest possible dimensions and to make the handling as simple as possible. Compared to known solutions, especially the adjustment mechanisms for height and distance adjustment and details of the camera attachment are to be revised.

The problem is solved with the invention characterized in the main claim. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the further claims.

In the 1 to 4 is a program-controlled motor Nodalpunktadapter in a typical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example. Show it:

1 the overall view in two perspectives,

2 Details of the distance setting,

3 Details of height adjustment,

4 The quick change attachment system for the camera.

In the overall view 1 you can see an L-shaped frame system 1 , which consists of a non-visible hollow chassis inside and a visible from the outside housing 2 consists. Within the housing are very compact in the footboard a horizontal drive 3 , in the headboard a structurally identical vertical drive 4 , as well as the electronic control 5 and housed in the middle part of the electrical power supply. The horizontal drive acts with its drive shaft on the base plate 6 , which is mounted on the tripod, while the vertical drive on a hub 7 works, which has a boom 8th a carrying structure 9 around the vertical axis 15 rotates. With the help of a tripod screw 13 can the recording camera on the camera plate 12 be attached. Via connection sockets 10 the camera is triggered or the internal device accumulator is charged. A dragonfly 11 facilitates the leveling of the device on the tripod.

It can be seen that, in contrast to known constructions, the positions of the drives and thus also the two axes of rotation 14 . 15 are fixed in the context immutable. A height adjustment 16 for adjusting the camera height 17 transverse to the recording direction is with 3 explained in more detail.

2 explains details of the support structure. Between the boom 8th and a tail 22 are an adjustment rail 20 and a threaded spindle 21 attached, which together form a rail system and a longitudinally displaceable carriage 23 wear. The position of the carriage is determined by the position of two knurled nuts 24a . 24b determines, which act against each other and thus fix the carriage position in the desired position.

By a convenient shaping of the hub 7 and the jib 8th is achieved that the displacement of the carriage, the central axis of the vertical drive 15 can easily paint over.

In order to adjust the carriage position to a certain nominal dimension, a scale is on the adjustment rail 25 attached, their value in one of the two windows 26a . 26b is read. More on that later.

3 shows details of the sled 23 with the height adjustment. The adjustment device forms a telescope system that comes from the carriage 23 as a holder with right-handed internal thread 18 , the camera platform 30 with left-handed external thread 31 and a threaded tube rotatably disposed between the two 32 exists, which in turn engages with its outer and its inner thread respectively in the internal thread of the holder and the external thread of the camera platform. Due to the fact that both thread pairs have an opposing pitch - once right- and once left-hand thread - a telescopic extension is effected by rotation of the tube relative to the carriage and camera platform.

So that the camera platform does not rotate with it, a height-adjustable anti-twist device is provided between it and the holder 33 arranged. In order to adjust the respective height, there is an extract scale on the holder 34 their value at the pointer 35 is read.

In order to lock the height adjustment made and to eliminate any residual play of the threads, a clamping mechanism is realized. For this purpose, deformation zones are in the carriage 36 and a slot 37 integrated, in order to transmit the clamping force triangular on the internal thread in the opposite direction tightening of the two knurled nuts and thereby slightly deform the threaded tube slightly elastic, so that in turn presses on the left-hand thread of the camera platform. In this way it is achieved that the knurled nuts lock not only the distance position of the carriage, but at the same time also the pull-out position of the height adjustment. Alternatively or additionally, by the deformation of the carriage and pressure on the rotation can be transmitted, which then also leads to jamming of the movable camera platform.

For attaching cameras to tripods or pan-tilt heads, quick-change systems are commonly used. Since each additional height millimeter of the quick-change system also has to lead to the enlargement of the entire Nodalpunktadapters to the same extent, a particularly flat construction compared to known solutions is required. 4 shows the novel quick release mounting system for the camera, which is integrated into the camera platform. It consists of a camera plate 12 with the tripod screw 13 and a holding plate 30 that have a rail guide 40a . 40b can be connected together as a tongue and groove pairing. For this purpose, the front part of the springs 40b in the middle recesses of the grooves 40a Inserted vertically and then moved in the grooves towards a central end position, as in 2 shown. If the shift end position is reached, then a spring-loaded locking lever 41 released from the gap in the spring and engages in this, whereby the position of the camera plate is locked in a form-fitting manner. In order to be able to release the camera plate in the reverse direction, the locking lever must be actuated. The locking lever is automatically pressed down when inserting the camera plate, as described above, so that when inserting no special operation is necessary, so the lock triggers by itself.

The illustrated design example shows that the camera plate is in two mirror-image positions 42 can be inserted into the retaining plate. This is used for an additional gain in the distance adjustment range by the tripod screw is not in the middle, but with a well-defined offset in the camera plate sitting, as in 4 shown. As a result, the screw-on point can be adjusted as needed either in the one position to the center of rotation or in the other position to a maximum value of the distance. Therefore, there are two reading positions on the slide ( 26a . 26b ) to correspond to each of the two possible positions of the camera plate.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10359361 [0004]
• DE 102008038470 [0004]

Claims (10)

Nodal point adapter, consisting of a horizontal ( 3 ) and a vertical drive ( 4 ), both of which have a frame construction ( 1 ) and a support structure ( 9 ) for the attachment of the recording camera, which is fixed to the vertical axis of rotation, characterized in that - the drives are fixed to the frame structure and immovably fixed in position, - that the support structure a rail system ( 20 . 21 ), on which a carriage ( 23 ) is fixed so that it is radial to the vertical axis of rotation ( 15 ) and can be fixed in its position (distance setting) and - that the carriage ( 23 ) an adjusting device ( 16 ), which involves moving and fixing a camera height position ( 17 ) across the lens axis (height adjustment). Nodalpunktadapter according to claim 1, characterized in that the rail system along the direction of displacement of the carriage, a threaded spindle ( 21 ) with at least one mother ( 24 ), the adjustment of the radial distance between the carriage and the vertical axis of rotation ( 15 ). Nodal point adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting device is a telescope system, which consists of a holder ( 23 ) with internal thread ( 18 ), a camera platform ( 30 ) with external thread ( 31 ) and between two rotatably arranged threaded tube ( 32 ), which in turn engages with its outer and inner threads respectively in the internal thread of the holder and the external thread of the camera platform, both thread pairs an opposing pitch - once right and once left thread - have. Nodalpunktadapter according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that at the same time the adjustment is blocked when tightening a nut, so that both altitude, as well as distance adjustment can be locked with a common control. Nodal point adapter according to claims 1, 2 and 4, characterized in that the blocking of the adjusting device takes place by partial deformation of the carriage and in consequence of the drive tube, so that both outer, as well as internal thread of the tube are clamped. Nodal point adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that on the adjusting device a quick-change fastening system ( 4 ) is attached to the camera. Nodal point adapter according to claims 1 and 6, characterized in that the quick-change attachment system from a camera plate ( 12 ) and a holding plate ( 30 ), which via a rail guide ( 40a . 40b ) can be connected to each other. Nodal point adapter according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that a spring-mounted locking lever ( 41 ) is present, which engages in the rail guide and prevents the release of the camera plate from the rail guide as long as it is not operated. Nodal point adapter according to claims 1 and 7, characterized in that the camera plate can be fixed in two mirror-image positions on the holding plate. Nodal point adapter according to Claims 1 and 9, characterized in that the carriage at the scale has two readout positions ( 26a . 26b ), which has a correspondence for each of the two possible positions of the camera plate.

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