Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
  • G03B—APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
  • G03B17/00—Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor
  • G03B17/02—Bodies
  • G03B17/08—Waterproof bodies or housings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
  • B66F11/00—Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for
  • B66F11/04—Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations
  • B66F11/048—Mobile camera platform
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/02—Heads
  • F16M11/04—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
  • F16M11/06—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
  • F16M11/08—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting around a vertical axis, e.g. panoramic heads
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/02—Heads
  • F16M11/04—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
  • F16M11/06—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
  • F16M11/10—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting around a horizontal axis
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/02—Heads
  • F16M11/04—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
  • F16M11/06—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
  • F16M11/10—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting around a horizontal axis
  • F16M11/105—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting around a horizontal axis the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/02—Heads
  • F16M11/18—Heads with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/20—Undercarriages with or without wheels
  • F16M11/2007—Undercarriages with or without wheels comprising means allowing pivoting adjustment
  • F16M11/2035—Undercarriages with or without wheels comprising means allowing pivoting adjustment in more than one direction
  • F16M11/2064—Undercarriages with or without wheels comprising means allowing pivoting adjustment in more than one direction for tilting and panning
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/20—Undercarriages with or without wheels
  • F16M11/24—Undercarriages with or without wheels changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other
  • F16M11/26—Undercarriages with or without wheels changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other by telescoping, with or without folding
  • F16M11/28—Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/42—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters with arrangement for propelling the support stands on wheels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M2200/00—Details of stands or supports
  • F16M2200/04—Balancing means
  • F16M2200/044—Balancing means for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M2200/00—Details of stands or supports
  • F16M2200/06—Arms
  • F16M2200/063—Parallelogram arms

Definitions

• the field of the invention is remote camera heads and stabilized
• the camera is often supported on a vehicle, to follow an
• a remote camera head is an apparatus that allows
• the camera to be moved, aimed, or controlled from a remote location (i.e., a
• the head is mounted on a crane arm.
• the crane arm can move the camera head
• a camera on a camera controlling camera movement by hand. For example, a camera on a camera
• a head may be suspended on a crane arm extending out over the side of a tall
• remote camera head operations involve placing the
• wireless links by a camera head operator, typically on the ground, or on the
• gyrostabilization means any camera
• the camera may require repositioning before filming
• a camera support or camera head has a pan
• pan frame and a tilt frame securable onto the pan frame at multiple positions
• a quick release lever is advantageously used to secure the
• the pan frame includes a pan housing, a pan
• the tilt frame includes a tilt housing, a tilt arm
• the tilt frame is securable onto the pan arm at
• a roll frame having a roll housing and a camera platform
• the roll frame is also
• a camera head includes a slip
• a pan or first shaft is rotatably
• a tilt or second frame is attached to
• the first gear is linked to the
• At least one clutch operation lever on the housing is moveable
• a stabilized camera system In a fifth aspect of the invention, a stabilized camera system
• the roll or dutch frame pivotably attached to a pan frame.
• dutch frame includes a parallelogram linkage.
• a tilt frame is pivotably attached
• the camera system can also be more
• system uses feedback from a position sensor on the camera platform to
• circuit provides a fast to horizon control mode, for rapidly moving the camera
• first and second electric motors are arranged in a ninth aspect of the invention.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present camera head in use
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera head shown in Fig. 1 , in
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the camera head shown in Fig. 2,
• Fig. 4 is a side view, in part section, of the camera head shown in
• Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the pan frame
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the tilt frame
• Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the roll frame
• Fig. 8 is a section view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 4.
• Fig. 9 is a bottom view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 4.
• Fig. 10 is a side elevation view, in part section, of the camera
• Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the pan
• Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the roll
• Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of the tilt
• Fig. 14 is a front elevation view of the camera platform, taken
• Fig. 15 is a plan view of the camera head shown in Figs. 4
• Fig. 16 is a side elevation view of the tilt frame, taken along line
• Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail view, in part section, of components
• Fig. 18 is a side view showing the tilt frame in a first or retracted
• Fig. 19 is a side view thereof, showing the tilt frame in a second or
• Fig. 20 is an enlarged section view of the roll housing shown in
• Fig. 21 is a further enlarged section view thereof.
• Fig. 22 is an enlarged view of the pan axis stop pin shown in
• Fig. 23 is an enlarged view, in part section, of the connector pairs
• Fig. 24 is a side view of a remote camera head and camera
• Fig. 25 is a front and left side perspective view of the camera
• Fig. 26 is a front and right side perspective view thereof.
• Fig. 27 is a plan view of the camera system shown in Figs. 25 and
• Fig. 28 is a left side elevation view thereof.
• Fig. 29 is a front view thereof.
• Fig. 30 is a schematically illustrated side view of the present
• FIG. 31 is a front view thereof with the camera removed, for
• Fig. 32 is a schematic illustration of an automatic leveling system.
• Fig. 33 is a schematic illustration of a drift compensation system.
• Fig. 34 is a schematic illustration of a control signal distribution
• Fig. 35 is a schematic illustration of a camera stabilization system
• Fig. 36 is a schematic illustration of the manual camera aiming
• Fig. 37 is a plan view of a control panel for use with the system
• Fig. 38 is a perspective view of a motor assembly as used on the
• camera head 50 of the invention is supported on the nose or front end 42 of a crane arm 40.
• the crane arm 40 is supported on an arm or post 32 of a
• the dolly 30 is typically on wheels 34, so that it can easily be
• Counterweights 44 are typically provided at the
• a motion picture or video camera 60 is attached onto the
• camera 60 are submerged in a pool or tank of water 54, to film an action
• FIG. 1 shows but a single example of use
• the camera head 50 can be mounted on any of the camera head 50.
• the camera head 50 can be mounted on any of the cameras head 50.
• the camera head 50 can be mounted on any of the cameras
• the camera head 50 may be used in any application
• pan frame 70 is supported on a crane arm 40, track 41 or similar support and
• Fig. 3 shows the
• camera head 50 allows the camera 60 to be pivoted or rotated about each of
• the lens of the camera 60 can be moved into any desired
• the pan frame 70 includes a pan
• a pan motor 86 As shown in Fig. 11 , a
• pan shaft 82 is joined to a top plate ring 83 which rotates relative to housing
• a pan gear 84 is attached to the shaft 82 through a clutch assembly 102
• the electric pan motor 86 drives a worm gear 110 which
• a pan axis slip ring assembly 88 is supported
• a locking nut 85 around the top end of the pan housing 80 is
• a pan arm 96 is rotatably attached
• the pan arm 96 rotatably seals
• pan gear 84 through the clutch 102 causing the pan shaft 82 to rotate.
• pan arm 96 is rigidly attached to the pan shaft 82, the pan arm 96 therefore
• stop pin 90 on the pan housing 80 can be engaged into an opening or hole 91
• FIG. 9 is a bottom view looking up
• FIGs. 20 and 21 show operation of the cam levers 98.
• each cam lever 98 rests against a clutch drive pin 99, which
• drive pins are dimensioned to limit the maximum applied torque of the clutch to
• a drag lever 100 acts on a drag collar 120
• ring 122 is positioned between the drag collar 120 and the pan shaft 82.
• Adjustment of the drag lever 100 increases or decreases friction on the pan
• the drag lever 100 has a cam surface including flat segments to
• the tilt frame 72 includes a tube angle
• assembly bolt 142 engages into a bolt plate 146 within the connecting tube
• Alignment pins 145 extend from the
• a tilt axis housing 130 is attached to the
• the tilt axis housing 130 includes components analogous to those on or
• motor 136 on or in the tilt housing 130 has a motor shaft with a worm gear 110
• the tilt drive gear 134 is linked to a tilt
• a tilt arm assembly 153 is rigidly
• a tilt axis slip ring assembly 138 connected to the tilt axis shaft 132.
• a tilt axis slip ring assembly 138 connected to the tilt axis shaft 132.
• the tilt axis stop pin 140 are provided on or in the tilt axis T housing 130.
• the tilt axis T housing 130 The tilt axis
• stop pin 140 is similar to the pan axis stop pin 90 shown in Fig. 22, except that
• cam release levers 98, and a drag/lock lever 100 and collar 120 are also provided on the tilt housing 130, similar to the pan housing
• the pan arm 96 preferably a generally U or C-shaped channel section.
• tube angle 152 allow the tube angle 152 and the entire tilt frame 72, to move in
• the head 50 can be expanded or contracted as
• the head 50 can be any size camera 60 .
• the head 50 can be any size camera 60 .
• the head 50 can handle large cameras.
• the cam lock 220 is closed by
• Teflon (fluorine containing resins) tape is advantageously placed on the bottoms and sides of the pan arm 96 and the tilt
• rollers 222 are then released and are free to roll, as they are no longer
• rollers 222 This allows for fast and accurate low friction sliding
• the tilt arm assembly 153 includes a
• tilt frame tube 154 preferably oriented perpendicular to the tilt shaft 132.
• frame extension section 158 is joined to the tilt frame tube 154 through an
• angle section 156 is preferably generally parallel to the tilt shaft 132, and
• frame 74 includes components similar to those described above relative to the
• a roll housing 160 has a motor 166 which drives a roll axis gear 164 through a worm gear 110 on the motor shaft.
• angle on the worm gear 110 is selected so that the worm gears 110 can be
• the roll gear 164 drives a roll shaft
• the clutches 102 preferably have a preset torque
• the torque limit is high
• the roll housing 160 also includes a slip ring assembly 168 and a stop pin 170,
• Engagement cams 98 are provided to engage and disengage the clutch 102
• a roll housing arm 180 is attached to the roll
• housing arm 180 is attached to the tube extension 158 of the tilt arm assembly 153 via rollers and a cam lock 220, as shown in Fig. 8. This allows the roll
• the tilt frame 72 can be moved relative to the pan frame 70, as shown in Figs.
• a camera platform 200 is
• the camera platform 200 has a slotted
• the vertical axis 210 are attached to the base plate 202 and back plate 206.
• the vertical axis 210 are attached to the base plate 202 and back plate 206.
• cam levers 212 shown in Fig. 14
• camera platform 200 are used to attach the camera 60, or an adapter plate, to
• the camera platform 200 the camera platform 200.
• the head 50 extend back up on or through the crane arm 40, to the dolly,
• the motors which control movement of the head i.e., the pan motor 86, the tilt motor 136, and the roll
• motor 166 also require electrical connections for power and control.
• pan, tilt and roll housings have similar or identical
• FIGs. 20 and 21 show enlarged
• the housing 160 is sealed.
• the roll shaft 162 is rotatably supported on a first or outer
• a second or inner shaft seal or O-ring 237 similarly seals the shaft
• a plastic or rubber tube 243 is attached to the nipple. As shown in
• a control and power cable 250 linked to the camera 60 extends from the
• control cable are contained within segments of the tube 243.
• the wires make
• the housing 160 (or housing 80 or 130), within another section of the tube 243.
• the shaft plug 240 is sealed against the shaft by O-rings 242. Consequently,
• a first pair of connectors 252 is provided.
• a second pair 254 is mounted on the tilt frame
• the entire head 50 can be submerged, as shown in Fig. 1 , without detrimental
• a first end cover having a first hose adapter or fitting 282 is attached (via screws) to a female housing 270.
• the camera and camera accessories on the head and/or for the electrical
• the camera 60 can follow an action sequence
• the head 50 can
• the head 50 has various hollow
• Each space is provided with purge gas ports 226.
• an extension or spacer 260 can be installed
• the roll frame 74 to expand or enlarge the camera head 50, for holding
• the head 50 is mounted on a camera crane 40 or other
• envelope of the camera head 50 is adjusted, as desired, to meet the clearance
• cam locks 220 appropriately positioning the tilt frame 72 and the roll frame 74,
• the camera is mounted onto
• the camera head 50 is then balanced, using known techniques. For example,
• the camera head 50 provides several advantages. It can be
• camera head 50 in three axes can be remotely controlled via electrical signals
• the motors and gears can be quickly disengaged
• the frames can be forcibly moved manually
• gears 84, 134 and 164 can back drive the worm gear 110, before the
• clutch 102 slips, if sufficient force is applied.
• the camera head 50 is also compact and lightweight.
• the camera head 50 is
• the camera head is largely sealed against water, dust, dirt, etc.
• the camera head is largely sealed against water, dust, dirt, etc.
• 50 is also highly adaptable and can be set up to hold cameras and
• a camera 432 having a lens 434 is supported
• a camera stabilization system 430 at the front end of an arm 426 of a
• the camera crane arm 426 is pivotably supported on a
• Fig. 24 accordingly shows one example of
• stabilization system 430 may also be used on various other types of platforms
• the support system 430 includes
• a pan frame 450 preferably formed as a hollow arcuate or curved box section.
• a pan shaft 452 is rigidly attached (e.g., welded, bolted or pinned) to a front
• the pan frame 450 can pivot or rotate on the pan shaft 452 about a
• a dutch or roll frame 454 is
• the roll frame 454 is pivotable or rotatable about a roll
• the roll frame 454 preferably includes a
• parallelogram linkage 488 having first and second parallel links 492 and 494.
• the locking bolts 486 are
• the locking bolts 486 are then tightened, at four places, to provide a rigid
• a tilt frame 458 has a tilt shaft
• the tilt frame 458 is pivotable about a tilt
• axis 459 shown in Fig. 25. Referring to Fig. 25 and momentarily to Fig. 31 ,
• the tilt frame 458 includes an L-shaped camera platform 462.
• the camera 432 is the camera 432
• the vertical position of the camera platform 462 (and of the camera 432) can be adjusted by loosening sleeve bolts 466,
• motor assemblies 472, 474 is provided to drive the pan frame 450, the roll
• each of the motors is separately referred to and numbered based on its
• drive motor assembly 475 includes an electric motor 476 which drives an
• a pan shaft gear 470 is rigidly attached to or part
• the pan shaft gear 470 is preferably located within the
• pan frame 450 although it may also be external.
• the pan frame 450 is
• motor assemblies 472 and 474 are attached to the outside of the pan frame
• a roll shaft gear 480 is fixed to the pan frame 450.
• motors 482 and 484 are attached to the outside of the roll collar 490.
• a tilt shaft gear 502 is irrotatably attached to the tilt collar 500.
• First and second tilt motor assemblies 504 and 506 are attached to the outside
• the stabilization system 430 is made more
• the system 430 can have smaller motors
• the motor assemblies are powered and controlled by
• box 440 is connected to the electronics box 442 preferably via cables.
• wireless connections may be used. If desired, slip rings and/or
• slip-type electrical connectors or fittings can be used to minimize wind-up of
• a stopping or limiting mechanism 512 is provided within the system
• the limiting mechanism 512 will allow
• the limiting device 512 e.g., only two or three complete 360° revolutions.
• locking device 514 is also provided for each axis.
• Figs. 24-31 show the mechanical design of the system 430
• Figs. 32-37 show electronic and control
• Figs. 24-31 they can also be used in many other types of camera stabilization
• a camera stabilization system or subsystem Referring to Fig. 35, a camera stabilization system or subsystem
• 530 includes a manual aiming mode.
• manual control circuit 532, amplifier 524, and sensor 526 is provided in each separate circuit 550, 552 and 554 for control of movement about each of the
• the sensor 526 is preferably a rate
• each of the pan, roll, and tilt axis circuits 550, 552, and 554 provides an
• the input control device 520 may be a
• a switch 534 has on and off
• aiming circuit 532 is disconnected or inactive, and each of the circuits 550,
• Each of the manual aiming circuits 532 includes a variable
• resistor 538 forming a divider 536.
• second variable resistor 544 forms a differentiator 540.
• the outputs from the first variable resistor 544 forms a differentiator 540.
• the output from the summator 546 is provided to the amplifier 524.
• the switch 534 is switched to the on position, shown in Fig.
• the stabilization system can be switched off
• adjustable dampening and the differentiator 540 provides an adjustable inertia
• circuit 532 provides electronically adjustable inertia and dampening for camera
• circuits 550, 552 and 554 are used,
• Fig. 37 shows an electronics box 442 for use with the manual
• Hand controls such as joysticks on the control box 440,
• the electronics box 442 and control box 440 may be combined into a single unit, with e.g., joysticks
• the electronics box 442 is a separate unit provided with inputs from
• control panel or box 440 or other remotely located control devices, such as
• the switches 534 can be separately and independently switched on or
• inertia are preferably adjustable via knobs, dials, etc. 539 and 540 on the
• the circuit 532 controls the
• the divider 536 provides adjustable dampening to
• the divider 536 provides control
• the camera feels and reacts as if the camera is supported on
• Camera stabilization systems typically use sensors on the camera
• the camera position can drift or move
• the camera may drift out of position. If unnoticed, this can result in errors
• a control system 560 is provided for reducing
• the system 560 includes 3 separate circuits 562, 564, and
• the camera stabilization system with drift control 560 uses conventional
• a rate sensor 526 on the camera platform provides an output to a summator
• the sum output from the summator 570 is also input to the summator 570.
• the sum output from the summator 570 is
• the sensor 568 is provided to detect movement about each axis.
• the sensor 568 is a
• the sensor 568 may be an infrared reflective
• the senor 568 facing the teeth of the gear 470 can optically detect
• the output from the drift position sensor 568 is provided into the drift compensation summator 570, and adds to the signals
• the drift position sensor 568 for detecting drift in the roll axis is
• the drift position sensor 568 for detecting drift in the tilt axis is
• the system 430 is positioned as shown in Fig. 26, the pan axis 451 is parallel
• the tilt axis sensor will detect this movement as an
• pan movement also occurs, although to a lesser extent.
• pan movement also occurs, although to a lesser extent.
• a compensated control circuit 580 is
• angle sensor 582 senses the sine roll angle and provides it to a multiplier 584.
• the pan axis control signal is also provided to the multiplier 584.
• the output of the pan axis control signal is also provided to the multiplier 584.
• the outputs of the tilt axis control device 520 and the tilt axis sensor 526 are the outputs of the tilt axis control device 520 and the tilt axis sensor 526.
• the output of the sensors 526 is compensated when the camera
• control 520 is zero.
• the input control device 520 is a
• the camera operator may want the camera to remain at a non ⁇
• the level sensor signal will not
• an automatic leveling system 590 is provided
• the modes of operation are selected using
• control panel 440 In the off mode, the system 590 operates using existing techniques.
• the control device 520 When the control device 520 is moved to a zero or center position
• the camera platform remains in whatever roll or dutch
• control device 520 has a zero output (for
• the leveling circuit 596 causes the roll axis
• the leveling circuit 596 (a switchable/separable amplifier) causes the roll axis
• the fast mode is preferably engaged with a push button
• the leveling circuit 596 provides an
• circuit 596 steps down to a second and slower levelling rate, such as ⁇ A
• gimbal refers to the mechanical
• the camera 432 can then be stabilized using any of the systems,
• FIG. 24-31 provides improved convenience in balancing, has fewer pinch points providing increased safety in use, and is more compact and
• the motor assemblies 475 are compact, to
• the drive signal to each motor is the
• system 430 is made more compact and with less moment of inertia. This
• the system 430 is also accordingly more
• the payload changes, for example, by changing a lens on the
• a block power switch 600 controlling power to all motors is
• the block power switch 600 preferably controls only power to the
• pan, tilt or roll in the claims refers to the axis
• pan, tilt and roll have their usual meanings, as

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Geology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Studio Devices (AREA)
• Accessories Of Cameras (AREA)
• Structure And Mechanism Of Cameras (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-09-03 EP EP04788602A patent/EP1661393A4/de not_active Withdrawn
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  • 2004-09-03 WO PCT/US2004/029036 patent/WO2005024507A2/en active Application Filing

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