EP1466209A1

EP1466209A1 - Objective pivoting device having crossed swivelling axes

Info

Publication number: EP1466209A1
Application number: EP03702415A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wilfried Donner; Bernd Donner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-14
Filing date: 2003-01-10
Publication date: 2004-10-13
Also published as: DE10201200B4; DE10201200A1; US7085082B2; US20050117230A1; WO2003058340A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an objective pivoting device (1) for pivoting an objective which is concentrically arranged in said device, about two perpendicular swivelling axes (A-A; M-M) which cross each other at a common apex in the optical axis of the objective. The inventive device comprises pivoting adjustment means (20, 21) which are respectively provided with a cable drive having three cable sections (20A - 20C; 21A - 21C), the first cable section (20A, 21A) extending from an adjustment axle coil (22A, 23A) to the first of the bearing elements (15, 40), the second section (20B, 21B) extending from said first bearing element to a second bearing element (15, 40) which is coaxial in relation to the first, and the third cable section (20C, 21C) returning from said second bearing element to a second coil (22B, 23B) of the adjustment axle (22C, 23C) of the pivoting adjustment means (20, 21).

Description

UZ: D 55/26 rö

Lens swivel device with crossed swivel axes

The invention relates to a swiveling device for swiveling a lens arranged concentrically therein, about two swiveling axes crossing each other at right angles in the optical axis of the lens, the lens being held in a lens holder and being pivotably mounted in bearings in two degrees of freedom of a spherical surface and these bearings are arranged on a fixed holding frame, on which two swivel actuating means are held, one of which is drivingly connected to eridian diametrical bearing elements and the other to equatorial diametrical bearing elements of the lens holder, the latter having a degree of freedom of compensation.

Such a swivel device is known from WO98 / 47034. The relatively large, thin toothed rings and toothed segments, which are used as pivoting adjusting means, are very complex to manufacture, since high precision and good sliding properties are required.

Furthermore, a swivel device is known from US 5,502,598 A. The spherical lens holder is mounted on its spherical surface. It has a meridian-directed toothed segment drive and an orthogonal equatorial toothed segment drive, the toothed segment of which is located on a spherical section which can be pivoted about the axis of the equatorial drive and whose pivot axis is displaceable in a groove in a meridional plane in the spherical section. The drive pinion can be conically complementary be formed to the toothed segment, and the gear axis is guided in an equatorial groove on the ball section. The drive torque of the gearwheel on the toothed segment leads, depending on its direction, to a migration of the spherical section in the groove, so that there is no clear relationship between the meridian and equatorial object pivoting to the setting rotations of the two drives, which is sufficient for the purpose of object tracking but for a targeted camera lens setting is insufficient.

Furthermore, from DE 296 096 Ul a camera adjustment device is known in which a cylindrical bearing for pivoting the frame about an axis that crosses the lens axis is provided at the foot of a lens frame and a pivot bearing about a vertical axis is provided on the mounted cylinder section, which intersects with the other pivot axis in the optical axis. Because of the large distance between the swivel bearings and the optical axis, the bellows adjoining the lens standard are often disruptive to the beam path when the lens is swung out sharply, and the bellows is also mechanically stressed by the buckling that occurs. In many cases, avoiding this requires a new adjustment of the entire camera device. These problems are particularly serious when using wide-angle lenses.

It is an object of the invention to simplify the manufacture and to improve the reliability of the pivoting device described in the introduction, in which the holder, the operating elements located thereon for adjusting the pivoting and the bellows are fixed and essentially only the lens is pivoted therein ,

The solution is given by the fact that the degree of freedom of compensation of the equatorial bearing elements is due to a pivotability in each case in a bearing element on the support frame side or by a displaceability in a respective meridian plane Lens holder is arranged and that the swivel actuating means each comprise a cable drive with three cable sections, the first cable section from a setting axle loop to the first of the bearing elements and the second cable section from this to a second bearing element coaxial with this and the third cable section from this back to a second loop the actuating axis of the pivot actuating means are guided and that the two cable sections, which engage one of the bearing elements, meet in the respective bearing element on its associated pivot axis in a pivoting area of a bearing plate of the bearing element and assigned to the bearing plates at one and the other end of each Equatorial or meridian guide groove are defined, in which an associated guide pulley engages in a leading manner.

Advantageous refinements are specified in the subclaims.

Each cable pull is at least provided with a cable tensioner, and the cable pulls are guided around the spherical section-shaped lens holder, into which the end shields are inserted, by means of deflection rollers in such a way that they each strike approximately tangentially in the guide grooves of the end shields.

The two cables are arranged one above the other or crossing one another in the high position above the holding frame. The upper and lower deflection rollers are each mounted on common axes, whereby two pairs of the deflection rollers are mounted in a corner area of the holding frame and another roller is mounted between the lower rollers, of which at least one per cable pull is loaded with a cable tension spring or with a cable tensioning device is provided.

The guide pulleys are combined in one assembly with two associated diagonally positioned pulleys, so-called leveling rollers, and in a bearing block held. The axes of the meridian guide deflection rollers are fixed on the holding frame, and in a preferred embodiment the axes of the equatorial guide deflection rollers are mounted on the holding frame so as to be pivotable about the equatorial axis AA in order to grant a degree of freedom of compensation. The bearing elements are each secured against rotation by a guide lug in the guide groove of the end shield.

In an alternative embodiment, the compensating movements are each granted by a sliding guide of the end shields in the meridian direction on the lens holder.

When the axis of the associated swiveling means is rotated, the one end of the rope that is wound up pulls on the connected end of the end shield, thereby pulling along the second end of the end of the end of the rope that is attached to the end of the end plate of the opposite end plate and deflects it in the opposite direction, whereby the third rope section located at the other end of the end shield thereof is pulled along, which is reduced by the other actuating axle looping region in each case by rotating the actuating axle. When rotating in the opposite direction, the movements are reversed.

Since the end shields are inserted into the spherical section-shaped lens holder, the latter is pivoted in one or the other direction with the adjustment caused by the cable pull. The pivoting takes place in the equatorial bearings relative to the holding frame and in the meridian bearings between the end shields and the lens holder.

The entire arrangement of the control elements and bearing elements is held together easily by a cover frame.

The assemblies and roles are repeat parts. The length of the ropes is unchanged in length because of the two crossing points lying on the swivel axis when the crossed Axis is pivoted. The movements of the two axes are thus independent and clearly assigned to the setting on the respective actuating axis.

Since two rope ends engage a bearing element, all bearings are free of transverse forces. The lens holder "floats" on the ropes that meet in the axes.

Advantageous configurations are shown in FIGS. 1 to 7.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view with the front cover raised;

Fig. 2 shows the lens holder in an exploded view;

Fig. 3 shows the holding frame with the adjusting and bearing elements;

Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of a bearing element;

Fig. 5 shows the assembly of the lens holder;

Fig. 6 shows the inclusion of the lens holder;

Fig. 7 shows the bellows connection side of the swivel device.

1 shows a perspective front view of the swivel device 1 with the front cover 10 raised. A holding frame 17 is held in the rear housing 11, in which the ring-shaped lens holder 53 with its spherical surface is mounted so as to be pivotable about two axes. Two of the end shields 33, 34, which are perpendicular to each other with their axes, visibly protrude with a small section from the front spherical shell bearing half 54B. The end shields 33, 34 have a common surface with the lens holder 53 and are embedded therein.

A circuit board 12, which carries measurement and control components, is arranged on the spherical shell bearing 54B.

Projecting laterally out of the housing 10, 11 are pivoting actuating axes 20, 21, by means of which pivoting actuating means are actuated which cause the objective holder 53 to pivot. Fig. 2 shows the lens holder 53, in which an interchangeable lens can be used, which is held axially with a snap ring 56 which is releasably secured with spring-loaded bolts 58.

The four end plates 31-34 form circular cutouts of the lens holder 53. Two opposite end plates 31, 33 are held in the lens holder 53 with receiving runners 60, 61 such that their outer guide grooves 35, 37 are oriented perpendicular to a central plane of the lens holder 53. The other two end shields 32, 34 are freely rotatably embedded in the lens holder 53.

The central axes A-A, M-M of the opposite end shields 31, 33; 32, 34 intersect in the optical axis of the lens to be used.

Fig. 3 shows the holding frame with the adjusting means which pivot the end shields 31-34. In principle, similar cable pull arrangements are available for both swivels about the axes A-A, M-M. The setting axes 20, 21 are arranged, for example, coaxially below or above, so that one pivot axis A-A is to be regarded as equatorial and the other axis M-M runs in a meridian plane through the poles.

The adjusting axes 20, 21 each have two cable windings 22A, 22B; 23A, 23B, which are to be wound up and unwound, respectively, and are discharged so that the total rope length is constant. The rope ends run tangentially and are guided over rollers 20, so that only a negligible change in length of the rope occurs when the axes 20, 21 are rotated.

In the corner areas of the holding frame is an arrangement of two double roller holders and a lower offset tension roller 65. The coaxial double rollers 61, 61; 63, 64 separate the two rope systems at different levels; however, the ropes change over the long distance from Corner to corner their level. At least one of the tension rollers 65 per cable pull is loaded with a tension spring, so that tolerances that occur due to temperature changes or aging are absorbed.

The two cable pulls each consist of three sections 20A - 20C; 21A-21C. The first section 20A, 21A begins at the first cable winding 22A, 23A and leads to a first bearing plate 31, 32, where it ends at the upper end of the guide groove 35, 36. The second cable section 20B, 21B runs from the lower guide groove end to the opposite end shield 33, 34 where it is fixed to the lower guide groove end. The third cable section 20C, 21C runs from the upper end of this guide groove 37, 38 to the second winding 22B, 23B on the actuating axle section 22C, 23.

A guide deflection roller 39 is mounted in front of the end shield 31-34 and its flanks are guided in the guide groove 35-38. The two cable ends fixed in the guide groove overlap there and run in the groove of the deflection roller 39 each by more than 90 ° and from there to two circumferentially tangential leveling rollers 39A, 39B, which are inclined so that the two cable ends are approximately flush - and run out. In this way, the incoming and outgoing rope ends overlap in front of and behind the guide deflection roller 39 approximately on the respective pivot axis A-A, M-M, which passes through the bearing.

Two types of bearings 15, 40 are provided, one of which is the meridian bearing 15, in which the lens holder is pivoted about the shields 31, 33 and the axis 41 of the guide roller 39 is rotatably mounted on the holding frame 17.

The other type of bearing 40 allows the lens holder to be pivoted about the equatorial axis AA by the guide roller 39 also pivoting in a bearing 40. The two bearing types 15, 40 on the two axes AA, MM give the lens holder the degrees of freedom that it needs for the independent pivoting.

The four deflection assemblies 39, 99A, 39B with the bearing 40 are constructed essentially the same, as FIG. 4 shows in an exploded view.

In the two bearing blocks 43, the leveling rollers 39A, 39B are mounted inclined on axes 42 and locked in grooves. A complementary bearing half-shell 40A, 40B, in which inner-bearing halves 40C, 40D are mounted, is located on each of the two bearing blocks 43. The bearing shells 40A-40C have transverse bores in which the guide deflection roller 39 is rotatably mounted on the axis 41. In the meridian bearing elements 15, FIG. 3, the bearing elements 40 are each prevented from pivoting into the outer bearing shells 40A, 40B by excessively long axis ends 41E on the axis 41.

The bearing element 40C has a guide lug which, in addition to the guide deflection roller 39, engages in the guide groove of the end shield.

The two subassemblies of the different swivel axes A-A, M-M differ in design only by the type of axis 41.

Fig. 5 shows the mounting of the lens holder 53 with the bearings 15, 40 on the holding frame 17. The lens holder 53 is held in these bearings, and the spherical surface 16 and the complementary spherical shell sections 16A have only a loose fit and are not bearing elements.

6 shows the lens holder 53 already installed in the holding frame 17 and the mounting screws 18 for this purpose and for mounting the front-side spherical jacket section 16B. In the picture in the front corner area of the holding frame 17, one can see a belt tensioner with the tensioning roller 65, which is acted upon by the tensioning spring 66 via angle lever 67, the pretensioning of which can be adjusted with an adjusting screw 68. Another cable tensioner of the same type for the second cable system is located diagonally opposite. The other roller assemblies in the two other corner areas are only assembled with the adjustment screw without spring.

The pivoting by the cable pulls gives the designer great freedom in the arrangement of the actuating axes 20, 21, which can be placed in any direction. Knobs and / or servomotors can be connected to it.

Position sensors in the form of magneto-sensor zero position sensors in the area of the end shields and incremental sensors 70, 71 on the actuating axes 20, 21 are provided for checking or regulating the setting.

The alternative design of the degree of freedom for the compensating movement is shown in dash-dotted lines on the lens holder 53 at the equatorial end shield 15, which, like the diametrical end shield, is also displaceable on the periphery of the objective holder 52 in addition to being rotatable. Rotary bearings are then not available on the holder frame side, so that these assemblies are simplified.

Fig. 7 shows the back of the swivel device 1 with the connection profile for the bellows, the edge of which is easily detachable with eccentric levers.

As described above, the bearing blocks are repetitive parts, but they are diametrically opposed in mirror image with respect to the cable guide. If you change this now, the direction of movement of the lens holder changes to the direction of rotation of the adjusting axis. In the example, there is one tension spring per cable and an adjustment block without a tension spring. This enables the position of the lens holder to be centered in a fixed relation to the holding plate with the rigidity of the rope in the pulling direction to the bearing block on the one hand and the resilience of the spring on the other hand with respect to the adjusting axis. If two springs are used per cable pull, there is greater flexibility in the position of the lens holder when exposed to an external force. This offers protection against tearing of the rope, but it is then advisable to attach progressively acting springs and / or detectors to the spring bearings that signal an impermissible limit deflection. The limit signals of the detectors are routed to the circuit board, which is mounted on the mounting plate with a connector.

A connector is also provided on the lens holder towards the lens, so that characteristic data of the lens that are electronically readable or readable on it can be passed on to the electronics on the circuit board.

Reference symbol list:

A-A; M-M swivel axes

1 swivel device

10 front cover

11 rear housing

12 circuit board

15 bearing elements

16 spherical surface

16A, 16B spherical shell sections

17 holding frame

18 screws

20, 21 swivel actuators

20A - 20C 3 rope sections

21A - 21C 3 rope sections

23A 1st positioning axle wrap

22B, 23B 2nd loop

22C, 23C actuator sections

31 - 34 bearing shields

35 - 38 guide groove

39 guide pulley

39A, 39B Nive11ierro11en

40 bearing elements

40A, 40B cups

40C, 40D bottom bracket halves

41 axis to 39

41E axle end sections

42 axes to 39A, 39B

43 pillow blocks

44 guide nose

53 Lens holder

54A, B ball bearing

56 snap ring safety bolt

Umlenkro11en

- 64 deflection rollers

idler

tension spring

bell crank

adjusting screw

, 71 incremental angle encoder

Cam

guide recess

Claims

claims

1. lens pivoting device (1) for pivoting a lens arranged concentrically therein about two mutually perpendicular swivel axes (AA; MM) crossing in the optical axis of the lens at an axis intersection, the lens being held in a lens holder (53) and this in bearings (15, 40) is pivotally mounted in two degrees of freedom of a spherical surface (16) and these bearings (15, 40) are arranged on a fixed holding frame (17) on which two pivoting adjusting means (20, 21) are held, each of which one with meridian diametrical bearing elements (15) and the other with equatorial diametrical bearing elements (15) of the lens holder (53) is drivingly connected and the latter have a degree of freedom of compensation, characterized in that the degree of freedom of compensation of the equatorial bearing elements (15) by a pivotability in each case in a bearing element (40) on the side of the holding frame or a displaceability is arranged in a respective meridian plane on the lens holder (53) and that the swivel adjusting means (20, 21) each have a cable drive with three cable sections (20A - 20C; 21A - 2IC), the first cable section (20A; 21A) of a positioning axis loop (22A; 23A) to the first of the bearing elements (15, 40) and the second cable section (20B, 21B) from this to a second bearing element coaxial with this (15, 40) and the third cable section (20C, 21C) are guided from this back to a second loop (22B, 23B) of the actuating axis (22C, 23C) of the swivel actuating means (20, 21) and that the two cable sections ( 20A, 20B; 20B, 20C; 21A, 21B; 21B, 21C), which engage one of the bearing elements (15, 40), in the respective bearing element on its associated swivel axis (AA, MM) in a swivel area of a bearing plate (31- 34) of the bearing element and on the end shields (31- 34) each assigned to one and the other end of one Equatorial or meridian guide groove are fixed, in which a guide deflection roller (39) engages in a leading manner.

2. Lens pivoting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide deflection rollers (39) of the meridian pivot axis (MM) on the holding frame (17) are only rotatably mounted and the other guide rollers (39) are rotatable and about the equatorial axis (AA) in the bearing elements (40) are pivotably mounted or the associated end shields (32, 34) are held in guide recesses (74) in the lens holder (53) in a meridian manner.

3. Lens pivoting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the bearing elements (40) consist of outer and inner bearing shells (40A, 40B; 40C, 40D), which are each fixed to the holding frame (17) with bearing blocks (43).

4. Lens swivel device according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner bearing shells (40C, 40D) have bearing bores for mounting an axis (41) of the guide deflection roller (39).

5. Lens swivel device according to claim 4, characterized in that at least the outer bearing shells (40A,

4OB) coaxial to the inner bearing bores contains a hole into which an axle end (4lE) of the axle (41) protrudes when the bearing elements (40A - 40D) are fixed to one another.

6. Lens pivoting device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that in the two bearing blocks (43) apart from the relevant end shield (31 - 34) each have a leveling roller (39A, 39B) so inclined against the other and the holding frame (17) it is arranged that the rope which runs over it and runs tangentially meets the guide deflection roller (39) tangentially and meets the other rope on the relevant pivot axis (MM, AA).

7. Lens pivoting device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that at least one of the inner bearing shells (40C, 40D) carries a guide lug (44) which engages in the guide groove (35 - 38 (leading.

8. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each corner region of the holding frame (17) three deflection rollers (61, 63, 65) are arranged offset from one another and the middle thereof is a tensioning roller (65) which is in an angle lever ( 67) is mounted on which an adjusting screw (68) engages on the other hand.

9. lens swivel device according to claim 8, characterized in that in each cable pull (20A - 20C; 21A - 21C) in each case at least one of the adjusting screws (68) via a tension spring (66) acts on the angle lever (67).

10. lens swivel device according to claim 8, characterized in that on the axes of the fixed deflection rollers (61, 63) coaxially each a further deflection roller

(62, 64) is mounted, over which the other cable is guided.

11. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a deflection roller (60) is arranged in each case near the actuating axis wrap (22B, 23B) such that the deflected cable (20C, 21C) runs tangentially to the actuating axis (20, 21) ,

12. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting axes (20, 21) each carry an incremental angle sensor (70, 71) and at least two zero position indicators on the lens holder (53) are arranged indirectly or directly.

13. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lens holder (53) is held centered in the end shields (31-34) on the cables (20A-20C; 21A-21C) and is arranged in a loose fit in annular spherical shell bearings (54A, 54B), one of which is arranged on the holding plate (17) ,

14. Lens pivoting device according to claim 12 and 13, characterized in that the incremental angle encoder (70, 71) and zero position indicator are connected to a contact unit to which a circuit board (12) is connected with contacts, which on the holding frame (17) on the front side of the pivoting adjusting means

(20, 21) is arranged.

15. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding frame (17) is arranged in a rear housing (11) which has a bellows connection groove and eccentric lever (72) for fixing the bellows.

16. Lens swivel device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear housing

(11) is completed with a front cover (10), so that the circuit board (12) and the holding frame (17) with the positioning and storage elements (40) are enclosed therein, the lens holder (53) with its edge regions from a circular opening protrudes.

17. Lens pivoting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lens holder (53) on the front in an annular groove carries a snap ring (56) which can be opened with a spring-loaded bolt (58) for a lens change.