JP2008076639A - Cradle having panhead function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cradle having a panhead function that achieves miniaturization of the movable part and the driving means of an imaging apparatus, facilitation of the control of the driving means, facilitation of electric wiring to the driving means and speeding-up of rotating operation in a pan direction and a tilt direction. <P>SOLUTION: Bevel gears 22 and 24 attached to the output shafts of a drive motor 21 and a drive motor 23 arranged to be opposed to each other are meshed with a bevel gear 25 attached to the rotary shaft of a support base 13 orthogonal to the output shafts. The rotary shaft of the support base 13 is set as the center of rotation in the pan direction, and the output shafts of the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 arranged coaxially with each other are set as the center of rotation in the tilt direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cradle with a pan / tilt function that rotates an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera in a pan direction and a tilt direction.

  There is a cradle with a pan head function that includes a drive source that rotates an imaging direction of an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera in a pan direction and a tilt direction (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

In recent years, the capacity of the imaging device has increased as the performance of the imaging function has improved, while the movable part of the imaging device has been reduced in size and the cradle with a pan head function has been reduced in size, making it easy to carry and install. A cradle with a pan head function is desired.
Japanese Patent No. 3336698 JP 2001-223919 A

  Incidentally, the cradle with a pan head function normally includes two independent drive motors for rotating the imaging device in the pan direction and the tilt direction. In this case, the tilt drive motor rotates in the pan direction together with the imaging device during the rotation operation in the pan direction.

  Accordingly, the panning drive motor must be arranged at a position different from the rotation trajectory so that rotation of the tilting drive motor in the panning direction is not hindered. In addition, the pan drive motor requires a torque that takes into account the mass of the tilt drive motor as well as the imaging device.

  For this reason, the movable part of the image pickup apparatus and the pan driving motor are enlarged, and the control of the two driving motors is complicated. Also, the electrical wiring to the tilt drive motor becomes complicated, and there is a limit to increasing the speed of the rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cradle with a pan / tilt head function that can reduce the size of a movable part and a driving unit of an imaging apparatus and can easily control two driving units. To do. Another object of the present invention is to provide a cradle with a pan head function that can simplify the wiring to the driving means and can realize a high speed rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction. To do.

  In order to achieve the above object, a cradle with a pan head function according to the present invention includes a support base that supports an imaging apparatus, and the imaging direction of the imaging apparatus supported by the support base is rotated in the pan direction and the tilt direction. In the cradle with a pan head function, the first drive means, a first transmission member provided on an output shaft of the first drive means, for transmitting the rotational driving force of the first drive means, and the first A second driving means disposed at a position facing the first driving means, and a second transmission member provided on the output shaft of the second driving means for transmitting the rotational driving force of the second driving means. And a rotating shaft of the support base orthogonal to the output shafts of the first driving means and the second driving means, and engages with the first transmission member and the second transmission member. A third transmission member; and the support base Of the rotation axis as the rotation center in the pan direction, and the rotation center output shaft of the tilt direction of the first drive means and said second drive means being disposed coaxially with each other, it is characterized.

  According to the present invention, the imaging device can be rotated in the pan direction and the tilt direction by using the total torque of the two drive means, so that the control of the two drive means can be simplified.

  Further, the two driving means do not rotate in the pan direction together with the imaging device during the rotation operation in the pan direction, and become a rotation moment of only the imaging device during the rotation operation in the tilt direction. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size of the movable part of the image pickup device and the two driving means, simplify the wiring to the driving means, and further increase the rotational speed in the pan and tilt directions. Can be realized.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a cradle with a pan head function as an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cradle with a pan head function shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a cradle 11 with a pan head function that is an example of an embodiment of the present invention supports an imaging device 12 in a detachable manner, in a pan direction in an arrow P direction and a tilt direction in an arrow T direction. A support pedestal 13 that is rotated is provided. The cradle 11 with a pan head function is covered with a main body cover member (fixed cover member) 14 as an exterior cover and movable cover members 17, 18 and 19.

  A window portion 15 is provided in the front portion of the main body cover member 14, and the window portion 15 is closed by a shutter member 16 so as to be freely opened and closed. The movable cover member 17 has a substantially fan shape, the movable cover member 18 has a substantially spherical shape, and the movable cover member 19 has a substantially ring shape, both of which are linked to the operation of the support base 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted. To do.

  Next, the internal structure of the cradle 11 with a pan head function will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a drive motor (first drive means) 21 and a drive motor (second drive means) 23 are arranged inside the cradle 11 with a pan head function.

  The drive motor 21 is attached to the main body cover member 14, and a bevel gear (first transmission member) 22 is provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 21. The drive motor 23 is attached to the movable cover 17, and a bevel gear (second transmission member) 24 is provided on the output shaft of the drive motor 23. Further, a bevel gear (third transmission member) 25 is provided on the rotation shaft of the support base 13.

  In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the bevel gears 22, 24, and 25 are arranged as follows as bevel gears having the same shape and a gear ratio of 1: 1.

  The rotation center axis of the bevel gear 22 (output shaft of the drive motor 21) and the rotation center axis of the bevel gear 25 (rotation axis of the support pedestal 13) are arranged orthogonally so that the bevel gears 22 and 25 are engaged with each other. The rotation center axis of the bevel gear 24 (output shaft of the drive motor 23) and the rotation center axis of the bevel gear 25 (rotation axis of the support pedestal 13) are arranged orthogonally so that the bevel gears 24 and 25 are engaged with each other. The rotation center axis of the bevel gear 22 (output shaft of the drive motor 21) and the rotation center axis of the bevel gear 24 (output shaft of the drive motor 23) are arranged coaxially.

  The movable cover member 17 is provided so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis of the support base 13 in a state of being positioned in the vertical direction. The movable cover member 17 is attached to the mounting portions of the drive motors 21 and 23 and substantially fans arranged on both sides of the portions. Both wings are shaped to overlap the main body cover member 14.

  The movable cover member 18 is provided so as to be rotatable about the output shaft of the drive motor 23 attached to the movable cover member 17, and a part of a substantially spherical shape overlaps the main body cover member 14 and the movable cover member 19. Yes.

  The movable cover member 19 is rotatably provided around the output shaft of the drive motor 21 while holding the rotation shaft of the support base 13 so as to be rotatable, and a part of the substantially ring shape is provided with the main body cover member 14 and the movable cover. It overlaps with the member 18.

  In addition, a main electric board 26 that controls an electric function is provided at the bottom of the cradle 11 with a pan head function. The drive motor 21 and the main electric board 26 are electrically connected via a flexible cable 27, and the drive motor 23 and the main electric board 26 are electrically connected via a flexible cable 28.

  Next, the rotation operation in the pan direction of the imaging device 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The output shaft of the drive motor 21 is rotated clockwise (arrow M1cw direction) when viewed from the output shaft side, and the output motor of the drive motor 23 is rotated clockwise (arrow M2cw direction) when viewed from the output shaft side. Rotate at the same speed as 21. Then, by the meshing of the bevel gear 22, the bevel gear 24, and the bevel gear 25, the support pedestal 13 to which the imaging device 12 is mounted rotates in the pan direction (arrow P <b> 1 direction) about the rotation axis of the support pedestal 13. Operate.

  When the support base 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted is rotated in the pan direction opposite to the direction of the arrow P1, the output shafts of the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are connected from the respective output shaft sides. Just rotate counterclockwise at the same speed.

  Next, the rotation operation in the tilt direction of the imaging device 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The output shaft of the drive motor 21 is rotated counterclockwise (arrow M1ccw direction) when viewed from the output shaft side, and the output shaft of the drive motor 23 is rotated clockwise (arrow M2cw direction) when viewed from the output shaft side. Rotate at the same speed as 21. Then, by the meshing of the bevel gear 22, the bevel gear 24, and the bevel gear 25, the support pedestal 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted has a tilt direction with the output shafts of the drive motors 21, 23 arranged coaxially as rotation centers. It rotates in the direction of arrow T1.

  At this time, the movable cover member 18 and the movable cover member 19 rotate around the output shafts of the drive motors 21 and 23 arranged coaxially with each other in conjunction with the support base 13. During such rotation, the internal structure of the cradle 11 with a pan head function is not exposed due to the overlapping portion of the movable cover member 18, the movable cover member 19, and the main body cover member 14.

  When the support base 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted is rotated in the tilt direction opposite to the arrow T1, the drive motor 21 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the output shaft, and the drive motor 23 is rotated from the output shaft. It may be rotated counterclockwise at the same speed as the drive motor 21.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the rotation operation of the imaging device 12 in the tilt direction and the pan direction will be described.

  After the rotation operation in the tilt direction shown in FIG. 4, the drive motor 21 is rotated counterclockwise (arrow M1ccw direction) when viewed from the output shaft side, and the drive motor 23 is counterclockwise (arrow M2ccw when viewed from the output shaft side). Direction) at the same speed as the drive motor 21. Then, the support pedestal 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted is meshed with the bevel gear 22, the bevel gear 24, and the bevel gear 25 so that the rotation direction of the support pedestal 13 tilted in the tilt direction is the pan direction ( It rotates in the direction of arrow P2.

  Here, the case where the rotation operation in the pan direction is performed after the rotation operation in the tilt direction has been described. However, the support base 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted is combined with the rotation direction of the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23. It is also possible to rotate in the compound direction of the tilt direction and the pan direction.

  In addition, since the output shafts of both the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are combined in the rotational direction at the same speed, the total torque of the two drive motors can be used with a simple mechanism. Control is also simplified.

  Further, in this embodiment, the bevel gears having the same shape and a gear ratio of 1: 1 are used. However, even if the gear ratio is changed in consideration of the mass of the imaging device 12, the bevel gear 22 and the bevel gear 24 are Since the bevel gears have the same shape, the same effect can be obtained.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 6, functions other than the rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction of the imaging device 12 of the cradle 11 with a pan head function will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the leg part 31 is provided in the bottom part of the cradle 11 with a pan head function. The leg portion 31 is slidable in the vertical direction (vertical direction in the figure) to two positions of a protruding position and a retracted position with respect to the main body cover member 14. An inclined cam portion 32 is formed on the upper portion of the leg portion 31. Further, a lift leg return spring 33 that urges the leg 31 to the retracted position is attached to the inside of the main body cover member 14. The drive motor 23 is provided with an engaging portion 34 that cam-engages with the cam portion 32 of the leg portion 31.

  Then, the drive motor 21 is stopped to stop the rotation of the output shaft, and the drive motor 23 is rotated counterclockwise (in the direction of the arrow M2ccw) as viewed from the output shaft side. Here, when the drive motor 21 is an ultrasonic motor, since it has a holding force (non-energized holding force) that keeps the output shaft from rotating when stopped, a member that stops the rotation of the output shaft is required. do not do.

  By holding the output shaft of the drive motor 21 in the stopped state, the bevel gear 25 on the support pedestal 13 side that meshes with the bevel gear 22 on the drive motor 21 side also does not rotate and enters the stopped state. Therefore, the bevel gear 24 on the side of the drive motor 23 is self-propelled on the tooth surface of the bevel gear 25, and the drive motor 23 itself has an arrow centering on the rotation axis of the support base 13 in a vertically standing state. It turns in the S1 direction.

  During such a turning operation, the movable cover member 17 also turns integrally with the drive motor 23. However, the internal structure of the cradle 11 with a pan head function may be exposed due to the overlapping portion of the movable cover member 17 and the main body cover member 14. Absent. Further, since the flexible cable 28 has a little longer margin, there is no problem in electrical connection.

  Then, by the turning operation of the drive motor 23 in the arrow S1 direction, the engaging portion 34 pushes down the cam portion 32 of the leg portion 31, and the leg portion 31 moves to a position where it protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the cradle 11 with a pan head function. . Thereby, the cradle 11 with a pan head function is lifted from the installation surface. Therefore, it is possible to take an image with the imaging device 12 at two positions in the vertical direction (up and down direction in the figure), and it can be used for triangulation and the like, and rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction without providing special means. Other functions can be easily obtained.

  When the drive motor 23 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the output shaft side, and the drive motor 23 is returned to a position where the output shafts of both the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are coaxial with each other, the lift leg return spring is returned. The leg 31 is also returned to the retracted position by the urging force of 33.

  Next, the rotation operation in the pan direction of the imaging device 12 in the state shown in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the state where the leg portion 31 shown in FIG. 6 is in the protruding position, the drive motor 21 is rotated clockwise (in the direction of the arrow M1cw) when viewed from the output shaft side, and the drive motor 23 is rotated clockwise (as indicated by the arrow). (M2cw direction) at the same speed as the drive motor 21. Then, by the meshing of the bevel gear 22, the bevel gear 24, and the bevel gear 25, the support pedestal 13 on which the imaging device 12 is mounted rotates in the pan direction (arrow P1 direction) around the rotation axis of the support pedestal 13. To do.

  That is, it can be seen that the rotation operation in the pan direction is possible even if the output shaft of the drive motor 21 and the output shaft of the drive motor 23 are not coaxial with each other. Further, only when the drive motor 23 is returned to a position where the output shafts of both the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are coaxially arranged, the imaging device 12 can be rotated in the tilt direction.

  Next, another example of the function other than the rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction of the imaging device 12 of the cradle 11 with a pan head function will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a shutter return spring 35 that urges the shutter member 16 in a direction to close the window portion 15 (see FIG. 1) is attached to the inside of the main body cover member 14. An access button 36 is disposed behind the shutter member 16. The access button 36 is not inadvertently operated when the window portion 15 is closed by the shutter member 16 (normal state).

  Then, the drive motor 21 is controlled to stop, the rotation of the output shaft is stopped, and the drive motor 23 is rotated clockwise (in the direction of the arrow M2cw) as viewed from the output shaft side. Here, when the drive motor 21 is an ultrasonic motor, since it has a holding force (non-energized holding force) that keeps the output shaft from rotating when stopped, a member that stops the rotation of the output shaft is required. do not do.

  By holding the output shaft of the drive motor 21 in the stopped state, the bevel gear 25 on the support pedestal 13 side that meshes with the bevel gear 22 on the drive motor 21 side also does not rotate and enters the stopped state. Therefore, the bevel gear 24 on the side of the drive motor 23 is self-propelled on the tooth surface of the bevel gear 25, and the drive motor 23 itself has an arrow centering on the rotation axis of the support base 13 in a vertically standing state. It turns in the S2 direction.

  By the turning operation of the drive motor 23 in the arrow S2 direction, the engaging portion 34 pushes the rear end portion 16a (see FIG. 6) of the shutter member 16, and the shutter member 16 moves to a position where the window portion 15 is opened. As a result, the access button 36 can be operated from the outside of the cradle 11 with a pan head function.

  Here, examples of the function of the access button 36 include an initial reset button and a hidden command button. Further, when the access button 36 is a button for attaching / detaching the imaging device 12 to / from the support pedestal 13, the operability is improved because the support pedestal 13 is a position where rotation in the tilt direction is restricted. In this way, functions other than the rotation operation in the pan direction and the tilt direction can be easily obtained without providing special means.

  When the drive motor 23 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the output shaft side and the drive motor 23 is returned to a position where the output shafts of both the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are coaxial with each other, the shutter return spring is restored. Due to the urging force of 35, the shutter member 16 returns to the position where the window portion 15 is closed.

  As in the case of FIG. 7, it can be seen that the rotation operation in the pan direction is possible even if the output shaft of the drive motor 21 and the output shaft of the drive motor 23 are not coaxial with each other. Further, only when the drive motor 23 is returned to a position where the output shafts of both the drive motor 21 and the drive motor 23 are coaxially arranged, the imaging device 12 can be rotated in the tilt direction.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since the imaging device 12 can be rotated in the pan direction and the tilt direction using the total torque of the two drive motors 21 and 23, the two drive motors 21, 23 can be simplified.

  In addition, the two drive motors 21 and 23 do not rotate in the pan direction together with the image pickup device 12 when the image pickup device 12 rotates in the pan direction, and only the image pickup device 12 rotates in the tilt direction rotation operation. It becomes a moment.

  For this reason, the movable part of the imaging device 12 and the two drive motors 21 and 23 can be reduced in size, and wiring to the two drive motors 21 and 23 can be simplified. In addition, it is possible to increase the speed of the rotation operation in the tilt direction.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to what was illustrated to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the output shaft of the drive motor 21 is stopped and the output shaft of the drive motor 23 is rotated to turn the drive motor 23. The same turning operation may be performed by performing the rotation control.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the cradle with a pan head function which is an example of an embodiment of the invention. It is the perspective view which fractured | ruptured a part of cradle with a pan head function shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for demonstrating rotation operation | movement of the pan direction of an imaging device. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the rotation operation | movement of the tilt direction of an imaging device. It is a perspective view for explaining rotation operation of a pan direction and a tilt direction of an imaging device. It is a perspective view for demonstrating functions other than the rotation operation | movement of the pan direction and the tilt direction of the imaging device of a cradle with a pan head function. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the rotation operation | movement of the pan direction of the imaging device in the state shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for demonstrating other examples of functions other than rotation operation of the pan direction of a cradle with a pan head function, and a tilt direction.

Explanation of symbols

11 Cradle with pan head function 12 Imaging device 13 Support base 14 Main body cover member (fixed cover member)
15 Window part 16 Shutter member 17 Movable cover member 18 Movable cover member 19 Movable cover member 21 Drive motor (first drive means)
22 Bevel gear (first transmission member)
23 Drive motor (second drive means)
24 Bevel gear (second transmission member)
25 Bevel gear (third transmission member)
26 Main electric board 27 Flexible cable 28 Flexible cable 31 Leg 32 Cam part 33 Leg return spring 34 Engagement part 35 Shutter return spring 36 Access button

Claims (9)

In a cradle with a pan head function that includes a support pedestal that supports an imaging device, and that rotates the photographing direction of the imaging device supported by the support pedestal in a pan direction and a tilt direction.
First driving means;
A first transmission member provided on an output shaft of the first drive means and transmitting a rotational driving force of the first drive means;
Second driving means disposed at a position facing the first driving means;
A second transmission member provided on the output shaft of the second driving means, for transmitting the rotational driving force of the second driving means;
A third shaft that is provided on a rotating shaft of the support base orthogonal to the output shafts of the first driving means and the second driving means and engages with the first transmission member and the second transmission member. A transmission member,
The rotation axis of the support pedestal is the rotation center in the pan direction, and the output shafts of the first drive means and the second drive means arranged coaxially with each other are the rotation centers in the tilt direction.
Cradle with pan head function. When the rotation direction of the output shaft viewed from the output shaft side of the first drive means and the rotation direction of the output shaft viewed from the output side of the second drive means are the same, the support base is Rotate in the pan direction,
When the rotation direction of the output shaft viewed from the output shaft side of the first drive means is different from the rotation direction of the output shaft viewed from the output side of the second drive means, the support pedestal tilts. Rotating in the direction,
The cradle with a pan head function according to claim 1. When the output shafts of the first driving means and the second driving means are coaxial with each other, the support base can be rotated in the pan direction and the tilt direction,
Enabling rotation of the support base in the pan direction and restricting rotation in the tilt direction when the output shafts of the first drive means and the second drive means are not coaxial with each other;
The cradle with a pan head function according to claim 1 or 2. The first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the third transmission member are bevel gears;
The cradle with a pan head function according to any one of claims 1 to 3. By rotating the output shaft of one of the first driving means and the second driving means and stopping the output shaft of the other driving means, the one driving means is moved to the third driving means. Rotating around the rotation center of the transmission member
The cradle with a pan head function according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The other driving means is an ultrasonic motor;
The cradle with a pan head function according to claim 5. A leg member that is slidable in the vertical direction, and the leg member is slid by a turning motion of the one drive means;
The cradle with pan head function according to claim 5 or 6. And a shutter member that opens and closes the window portion by a sliding operation, and the shutter member is slid by a turning operation in a direction opposite to the sliding direction of the leg member of the one driving means. Let
A cradle with a pan head function according to any one of claims 5 to 7. A fixed cover member, and a movable cover member interlocked with the turning operation of the one drive means,
The cradle with a pan head function according to claim 1.

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