JP2010087964A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically direct an optical axis of a camera horizontally at all the time when the camera is moved to an imaging position and stopped, so as to capture an image in any arbitrary direction within a horizontal plane in such a state. <P>SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus includes: a hollow spherical outer shell formed from a translucent material; a camera housed in the outer shell for capturing an image; a control and communication means; a frame for mounting a battery thereon; a support means for supporting the frame freely movably with respect to the outer shell; and a drive means provided in the frame for relatively rotate the frame within the horizontal plane with respect to the outer shell through the control and communication means on the basis of a control command from the outside when the outer shell is stopped. The frame including a mounted object is configured to place its center of gravity at a specific position lower than the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell, and the camera is installed on the frame in such a way that the optical axis is directed horizontally at all the time when the center of gravity is placed at the specific position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that acquires an image outside the outline by controlling the orientation of a camera housed in the transparent outline by wireless operation.

  2. Description of the Related Art A capsule endoscope camera is known as an imaging device that acquires an image outside an outline by a camera housed in a transparent outline. For example, in a capsule endoscope camera described in Patent Document 1, a bowl-shaped holding member in which a camera, a driving unit, and the like are mounted in a bowl-shaped storage member (capsule) formed of a material having light transmission characteristics. And the holding member is configured to be rotatable relative to the storage member around the longitudinal axis. When the holding member is rotated around the longitudinal axis by the driving means by wireless operation when in an arbitrary position in the body, the optical axis is set in a direction including a right angle with respect to the axis by the camera. An image in the direction of the body cavity wall is taken.

JP 2007-159642 A

  In the case of the capsule endoscope camera having the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the camera is originally intended for imaging of the wall surface in the body cavity, and therefore the direction of the camera is in the direction around the axis about the longitudinal direction of the capsule. Can only be turned. Therefore, for example, it cannot be applied to image acquisition when it is necessary to always perform imaging in an arbitrary horizontal direction at an arbitrary imaging position where a capsule is placed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and when moved to an imaging position and stopped, the optical axis of the camera is always automatically oriented in the horizontal direction. An object of the present invention is to obtain an imaging device that can capture an image in an arbitrary direction.

  An imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a hollow spherical outer shell formed of a light-transmitting material, a camera that is accommodated in the outer shell and acquires an image, a control / communication unit, a mount on which a battery is mounted, and a mount A support means that is movably supported with respect to the outer shell, and is provided on the gantry. When the outer shell is stationary, the gantry is rotated relative to the outer shell in a horizontal plane by a control / communication means based on a control command from the outside. It is provided with a drive means so that the center of gravity of the gantry including the load is located at a specific position below a horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell, and the optical axis is always oriented horizontally when the center of gravity is at the specific position. In this way, the camera is installed on a gantry.

  According to the present invention, for example, when the imaging apparatus is stationary by rolling to a desired position by hand, the optical axis of the camera can be always automatically directed in the horizontal direction at the stationary position. Since the camera is configured to rotate so as to be directed in an arbitrary direction in a horizontal plane, it can be applied to image acquisition in the case where it is necessary to always perform imaging in a horizontal arbitrary direction.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing the external structure of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2 is a partially sectional side view showing the internal structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the external structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 shows the internal structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the external structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 shows an operation state in which the optical axis of the camera of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is directed in an arbitrary direction within a horizontal plane. FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view showing an operation state in which the optical axis of the camera of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is directed in an arbitrary direction within a horizontal plane. FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the drive mechanism when the movable portion of the imaging apparatus is rotated in the horizontal direction, and FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the drive mechanism when the movable portion is returned to the initial state.
In the figure, the imaging device includes a hollow spherical outer shell 1 made of a material that transmits light having a wavelength corresponding to a camera 3 described later. A hollow, substantially hemispherical base 2 having a spherical surface concentric with the outer shell 1 is accommodated in the outer shell 1. The gantry 2 is supported so as to be movable with respect to the outer shell 1 by contacting at least three ball casters 4 arranged on the spherical surface at predetermined intervals on the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 at three points. A camera 3 and a motor 5 are attached to the upper part of the gantry 2 opposite to the spherical surface.

  A pinion gear 6 is held on the rotation shaft of the motor 5, and an idler gear 7 is engaged with the pinion gear 6. The idler gear 7 is rotatably held by a first support shaft 8 held on the gantry 2 by means not shown. A drive gear 9 is engaged with the idler gear 7. A drive roller 10 is coaxially connected to the drive gear 9, and the drive gear 9 and the drive roller 10 are integrally held by the second support shaft 11 so as to be rotatable. The first support shaft 8 holds one end of an arm 12 so as to be rotatable around the first support shaft 8, and holds the second support shaft 11 at the other end of the arm 12.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a control / communication means 13 is mounted inside the hemispherical frame 2. The control / communication means 13 receives an operation command from a control device (not shown) outside the imaging device and transmits an acquired image to the control device by wireless communication, and also the camera 3 and the motor 5 according to the received operation command. Control the operation. In addition, a battery 14 for supplying power to the camera 3, the motor 5, the control / communication means 13 and the like is mounted inside the gantry 2.
Here, the above-described gantry 2, the camera 3 mounted on the gantry 2, the ball caster 4, driving means (motor 5, pinion gear 6, idler gear 7, first support shaft 8, drive gear 9, driving roller 10, A portion including the two support shafts 11, the arms 12), the control / communication means 13, the battery 14, and the like is referred to as a movable portion 20.
The center of gravity G of the movable portion 20 is positioned below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1 in a state where the gantry 2 is supported on the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 by the three ball casters 4 and is stationary. The specific position is set according to the weight of the gantry 2 and its load and the mounting position. Thus, in a state where the center of gravity of the movable portion 20 is at a specific position, the camera 3 is installed on the gantry 2 so that the optical axis is always in the horizontal direction. The setting of the specific position of the center of gravity G of the movable portion 20 and the direction of the optical axis of the camera 3 is the same in each embodiment described later.

Next, the operation will be described.
First, a state where the imaging apparatus is stationary will be described with reference to FIGS. The ball caster 4 disposed on the lower surface of the gantry 2 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 at three points, and supports the gantry 2 with respect to the outer shell 1 so as to be movable. At this time, the center of gravity G of the movable unit 20 composed of the gantry 2 and each member mounted on the gantry 2 is at a specific position below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, so that the camera 3 placed on the gantry 2 The optical axis is always horizontal. Since the outer shell 1 is formed of a material that transmits light of a wavelength corresponding to the camera 3, it is possible to take an image outside the apparatus in this state. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3, the drive roller 10 is housed in the gantry 2 and is located away from the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1.

  Next, the movement of the imaging apparatus to a position where an image is acquired is performed by, for example, manually rolling the imaging apparatus. In this case, the outer shell 1 rotates and moves on the floor surface 21, but the movable portion 20 is supported on the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 movably only by the ball caster 4, and the center of gravity G has the outer shell 1. Therefore, it moves relative to the outer shell 1 so as to maintain the original posture. When only the movement of the movable part 20 is viewed from the outside, it looks as if it is sliding on the floor surface 21 while maintaining the original posture. When the imaging device stops due to rolling friction between the floor surface 21 and the outer shell 1, the posture of the movable unit 20 is maintained in the same state, and therefore the optical axis of the camera 3 is also in the horizontal direction.

  Next, an operation for directing the camera 3 in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane from a state in which the imaging apparatus is stopped and the gantry 2 is also stationary will be described. This operation is performed by the control / communication means 13 in accordance with a control command received from the outside. In FIG. 8, when the shaft of the motor 5 is first rotationally driven and the pinion gear 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow C, the idler gear 7 meshing with the pinion gear 6 rotates around the first support shaft 8 in the direction of arrow D. The drive gear 9 that meshes with the second shaft 11 rotates in the direction of arrow E around the second support shaft 11. At this time, the drive gear 9 receives a force in the direction of arrow D around the first support shaft 8 due to the drive torque of the idler gear 7 with respect to the drive gear 9, so that the arm 12 rotatably held on the first support shaft 8, The second support shaft 11 held by the second support shaft 11 and the drive gear 9 held by the second support shaft 11 rotate around the first support shaft 8 in the direction of arrow D and are connected coaxially to the drive gear 9. The roller 10 protrudes and rotates in contact with the inner peripheral surface located above and below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1.

  When the driving roller 10 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1, a driving force in the direction of arrow F is generated at the contact portion between the driving roller 10 and the outer shell 1 due to the rotation of the driving roller 10 in the direction of arrow E. As a result, the movable part 20 rotates in the arrow P direction with respect to the outer shell 1. Note that the force in the direction of arrow D continues to the arm 12 holding the drive roller 10 by the reaction force in the direction of arrow H due to the drive force in the direction of arrow F generated at the contact portion between the drive roller 10 and the outer shell 1. Therefore, the driving roller 10 is not separated from the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1, and the rotating operation of the movable portion 20 in the arrow P direction is performed without any trouble. With this operation, after the movable unit 20 is rotated in any desired direction, the driving of the motor 5 is stopped, and an image in the desired direction is captured by the camera 3. The operation of changing the direction of the camera 3 may be performed while viewing the captured image.

  Next, when the drive roller 10 is returned to the initial position, as shown in FIG. 9, the shaft of the motor 5 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow J by the control / communication means 13 to move the pinion gear 6 in the same direction. When rotating, the idler gear 7 meshing with the pinion gear 6 rotates around the first support shaft 8 in the direction of arrow K. At this time, the drive gear 9 receives a force in the direction of the arrow K around the first support shaft 8 due to the drive torque of the idler gear 7 with respect to the drive gear 9, so that the arm 12 held rotatably on the first support shaft 8; The second support shaft 11 held by the second support shaft 11 and the drive gear 9 held by the second support shaft 11 rotate around the first support shaft 8 in the direction of arrow K and are connected to the drive gear 9 coaxially. The roller 10 moves away from the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 and returns to the initial position.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the hollow spherical outer shell 1 formed of a translucent material, the camera 3 accommodated in the outer shell 1 and acquiring images, the control / communication means 13. The base 2 for mounting the battery 14 and the like, the supporting means (three ball casters 4) for supporting the base 2 movably with respect to the outer shell 1, and the outer base 1 provided on the base 2 when the outer shell 1 is stationary. Drive means (motor 5, pinion gear 6, idler gear 7, first support shaft 8, drive gear 9) for rotating the gantry 2 relative to the outer shell 1 in the horizontal plane by the control / communication means 13 based on the control command from The driving roller 10, the second support shaft 11, and the arm 12), and the center of gravity of the gantry 2 including the load is configured to be a specific position below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, and the center of gravity is The optical axis always points horizontally when in a specific position. The camera 3 is to be installed in the frame 2 so. Therefore, the optical axis of the camera 3 can be always automatically oriented in the horizontal direction, and the camera 3 is driven in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 to drive the camera 3 in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane. Therefore, it is possible to acquire an image in an arbitrary direction within a horizontal plane.
In the above example, the support for the outer shell 1 of the gantry 2 is the three-point support of the ball caster 4, but the number of the ball casters 4 may be three or more. In the above example, the gantry 2 has a substantially hemispherical shape having a concentric spherical surface with the outer shell 1. However, the structure is not limited to this structure, and may be a structure having only a skeleton, for example.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 10 is a side view showing the external structure of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 11 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the internal structure of the imaging device shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the external structure of the imaging device shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. 13 shows the external structure of the imaging device shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is a bottom view showing the external structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and description of these parts is omitted in principle.
In the second embodiment, as the driving means of the movable portion 20, the motor 5, the pinion gear 6, the idler gear 7, the first support shaft 8, the drive gear 9, the drive roller 10, the second used in the first embodiment. Instead of the support shaft 11 and the arm 12, a point using a cilia member 22, a motor 23, and a weight 24 is different from the first embodiment.

  In the figure, a ciliary member 22 composed of a plurality of elastic members with elasticity against bending displacement is disposed on the upper outer periphery of the gantry 2. As shown in FIG. 12, the tip of the cilia member 22 is inclined so as to bend with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 located in the vicinity of the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, and the tips are brought into contact with each other. . A motor 23 is disposed in the gantry 2, and a weight 24 having a shape set so that the center of gravity around the rotation shaft 23 a does not coincide with the rotation shaft 23 a is attached to the rotation shaft 23 a of the motor 23. . Here, the motor 23 and the weight 24 constitute a vibration actuator.

Next, the operation will be described.
First, when the imaging device is stationary, the ball caster 4 disposed on the lower surface of the gantry 2 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 at three points to support the gantry 2 with respect to the outer shell 1. ing. At this time, since the center of gravity G of the movable portion 20 is located below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, the optical axis of the camera 3 is in a state of facing the horizontal direction.
Next, when the imaging device is moved to a position where an image is acquired by, for example, manually rolling the imaging device (outer shell 1), the cilia member 22 disposed on the outer periphery of the gantry 2 is moved to the outer shell. Since it is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of 1, this acts as a resistance, and the gantry 2 turns around the outer shell 1 and moves on the floor surface 21. When the imaging device stops due to rolling friction between the floor surface 21 and the outer shell 1, the gantry 2 stops by moving the gravity center G of the movable portion 20 to a position below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1. When the gantry 2 is stationary, the optical axis of the camera 3 is again in the horizontal direction. Further, in this state, the cilia member 22 disposed around the gantry 2 has a tip portion in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 at a position substantially coincident with a horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1.

  Next, an operation for directing the optical axis of the camera 3 in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane from a state in which the outer shell 1 is stationary will be described. When the motor 23 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow L as shown in FIG. 11 by the control / communication means 13, the weight 24 attached to the rotating shaft 23a also rotates simultaneously. At this time, vibration generated when the center of gravity of the weight 24 does not coincide with the rotation shaft 23 a is transmitted to the gantry 2. Since the tip of the cilia member 22 arranged around the gantry 2 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1, the flexure elasticity is deflected in response to the vibration of the gantry 2, and at the moment the deflection returns. As shown in FIG. 12, a force is generated to push the outer shell 1 in the direction of arrow M in the horizontal plane. However, since the gantry 2 is supported by the ball caster 4 so as to be movable with respect to the outer shell 1, the movable portion 20 rotates relative to the outer shell 1 in the direction of arrow N in the horizontal plane. By this operation, the drive of the motor 23 is stopped after the movable part 20 is rotated to any desired horizontal position. At this time, since the center of gravity G is located below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, the camera 3 stops at a position where the optical axis is directed in the desired horizontal direction. Therefore, the camera 3 can capture a desired image outside the apparatus in the horizontal direction.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the driving means for rotating the gantry 2 relative to the outer shell 1 in the horizontal plane has elasticity against bending displacement and passes through the center of the outer shell 1. A plurality of cilia members 22 arranged on the outer periphery of the gantry so as to bend with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 located in the vicinity of the outer shell 1 so as to contact each tip, and a motor 23 placed on the gantry 2 And a vibration actuator for the gantry 2 comprising a weight 24 having a center of gravity that does not coincide with the rotation axis. Therefore, the camera 3 can be directed in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane by the vibration of the vibration actuator and the force generated by the ciliary member 22, so that an image in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane can be acquired.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 15 is a side view showing the structure of the imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. 16 is a partially sectional side view showing the internal structure of the imaging device shown in FIG. 15, FIG. 17 is a partially sectional plan view showing the internal structure of the imaging device shown in FIG. 15, and FIG. 18 is a diagram of the imaging device shown in FIG. FIG. 19 is a plan view showing the structure of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, parts equivalent to those in the second embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and description of these parts is omitted in principle.
In the third embodiment, a hollow spherical mount 25 is applied instead of the substantially hemispheric mount 2 in the second embodiment, and a lubricating liquid member 27 is used instead of the ball caster 4.

  In the figure, the gantry 25 has a hollow sphere having a spherical surface concentric with the outer shell 1, and has a window portion 26 formed of a light-transmitting material on the front side of the camera 3. The inside of the gantry 25 has a sealed structure by the wall surface of the gantry 25 and the window portion 26. A light-transmitting lubricating liquid member 27 such as silicon oil is filled between the outer shell 1 and the gantry 25, and the gantry 25 is supported movably with a certain gap between the outer shell 1 and the gantry 25. Yes.

Next, the operation will be described.
First, when the image pickup apparatus is stationary, the filled lubricating liquid member 27 supports the gantry 25 with a gap from the outer shell 1. At this time, since the center of gravity G of the movable portion 20 is located below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, the optical axis of the camera 3 is in a state of facing the horizontal direction.
Next, when the imaging device is moved to a position where an image is acquired by, for example, manually rolling the imaging device (outer shell 1), the cilia member 22 disposed on the outer periphery of the gantry 25 is moved to the outer shell. Since this is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of 1, this acts as a resistance, and the gantry 25 rotates on the outer shell 1 substantially integrally and moves on the floor surface 21. When the imaging apparatus stops due to rolling friction between the floor surface 21 and the outer shell 1, the gantry 25 moves to a position below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1 and stops. When the gantry 25 is stationary, the optical axis of the camera 3 is again in the horizontal direction. Further, in this state, the cilia member 22 disposed around the gantry 2 has a tip portion in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 at a position substantially coincident with a horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1.

  Next, an operation for directing the optical axis of the camera 3 in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal plane from a state in which the outer shell 1 is stationary will be described. When the motor 23 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow L as shown in FIG. 17 by the control / communication means 13, the weight 24 attached to the rotating shaft 23a also rotates simultaneously. At this time, vibration generated when the center of gravity of the weight 24 does not coincide with the rotation shaft 23 a is transmitted to the gantry 25. Since the tip of the cilia member 22 disposed around the gantry 25 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1, the flexure elasticity is deflected in response to the vibration of the gantry 25, and at the moment the deflection returns. As shown in FIG. 17, a force is generated to push the outer shell 1 in the direction of arrow M in the horizontal plane. However, since the gantry 25 is supported by the lubricating liquid member 27 so as to be movable with respect to the outer shell 1, the movable portion 20 rotates relative to the outer shell 1 in the direction of arrow N in the horizontal plane. By this operation, the drive of the motor 23 is stopped after the movable part 20 is rotated to any desired horizontal position. At this time, since the center of gravity G is located below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell 1, the camera 3 stops at a position where the optical axis is directed in the desired horizontal direction. Since the outer shell 1, the window portion 26 of the mount 25 and the lubricating liquid member 27 are formed of a material that transmits light having a wavelength corresponding to the camera 3, the camera 3 captures a desired image outside the apparatus in the horizontal direction. Is possible.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the gantry 25 having a sealed hollow sphere having a concentric spherical surface with the outer shell 1 and having the translucent window 26 at least on the front side of the camera 3 is provided. The supporting means that is used and movably supports the gantry 25 with respect to the outer shell 1 is constituted by a lubricating liquid member 27 made of a translucent material filled between the outer shell 1 and the gantry 25, and driving means. The cilia member 22 and the vibration actuator are the same as those in the second embodiment. Therefore, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 1 and the outer peripheral surface of the gantry 25 is kept constant, and the same effects as those of the above-described embodiments are obtained.
In the above example, a part of the gantry 25 is the window portion 26 formed of a light-transmitting material. However, the entire gantry 25 may be formed of a light-transmitting material.

In each of the above embodiments, the wavelength of light corresponding to the camera 3 is not particularly limited, but visible light, infrared light, and the like are conceivable, and a light source corresponding to this is placed on the gantry 2. The imaging effect can be improved.
In the operation of each of the above embodiments, the imaging device is imaged on the floor surface. However, the imaging device may be floated on a liquid such as stationary water to perform imaging. Alternatively, the imaging device may be placed in a vertical tube or container and used to image each inner wall by moving the liquid surface up and down.

It is a side view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1. It is a top view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a partially notched front view which shows the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a bottom view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1. It is a top view which shows the operation state which orient | assigns the optical axis of the camera of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1 to the arbitrary directions in a horizontal surface. It is a partially notched front view which shows the operation state which orient | assigns the optical axis of the camera of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 1 to the arbitrary directions in a horizontal surface. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the drive mechanism during horizontal rotation of the movable part of the imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the drive mechanism when the movable unit of the imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 returns to the initial state. It is a side view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device by Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 2. It is a top view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 2. It is a front view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 2. It is a bottom view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 2. It is a side view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device by Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 3. It is a partial cross section top view which shows the internal structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 3. It is a front view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 3. It is a top view which shows the external appearance structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same Embodiment 3.

Explanation of symbols

  1 outer shell, 2,25 frame, 3 camera, 4 ball caster, 5,23 motor, 6 pinion gear, 7 idler gear, 8 first support shaft, 9 drive gear, 10 drive roller, 11 second support shaft, 12 arm , 13 Control / communication means, 14 battery, 20 movable part, 21 floor surface, 22 cilia member, 23a motor shaft, 24 weight, 26 window part, 27 lubricating liquid member.

Claims (7)

A hollow spherical outer shell formed of a translucent material;
A camera that is housed in the outer shell and acquires an image, a control / communication means, a cradle on which a battery is mounted;
Support means for movably supporting the gantry with respect to the outer shell;
Provided on the pedestal, comprising driving means for rotating the gantry relative to the outer shell in a horizontal plane by the control / communication means based on a control command from the outside when the outer shell is stationary,
The center of gravity of the gantry including the load is configured to be a specific position below a horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell, and the optical axis is always directed horizontally when the center of gravity is at the specific position. An imaging apparatus, wherein a camera is installed on the mount.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gantry has a hollow, substantially hemispherical shape having a concentric spherical surface with the outer shell.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gantry has a sealed hollow sphere having a concentric spherical surface with the outer shell, and has a translucent window at least on the front side of the camera.   The driving means includes a motor, a gear train, and a driving roller. The driving roller protrudes from the gantry side and rotates in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer shell positioned above and below a horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gantry is rotated relative to the outer shell in a horizontal plane. The driving means is
It has elasticity against bending displacement, and is arranged on the outer periphery of the gantry so as to be inclined to bend with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell located in the vicinity of the horizontal plane passing through the center of the outer shell and to contact each tip A plurality of cilia members;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the imaging apparatus includes a motor and a vibration actuator that is mounted on the gantry and includes a spindle having a rotation axis and a center of gravity different from each other.   6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support means is at least three ball casters arranged at a lower part of the gantry.   The support means is a lubricating liquid member that is filled between the outer shell and the gantry and is made of a translucent material that keeps the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell and the outer peripheral surface of the gantry constant. The imaging device according to claim 3.

Images