JPH02186197A - Image pick-up gimbal mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To space-stabilize an image pick-up part independently of the external turbulence of wind pressure by allowing a canopy gimbal which is installed coaxially with an image pick-up part gimbal at the outside position of the gimbal and in turnable ways in the Y-axis direction, to following-turn on the basis of the position signal supplied from the image pick-up part gimbal angle sensor. CONSTITUTION:An image pick-up part gimbal 4 performs the prescribed turn, following the turning position in the X-axis direction of a basic part 1, by the operation of an image pick-up part gimbal driving part 8. The turning state is detected by an image pick-up part gimbal angle sensor 7, and a canopy gimbal driving part 14 operates on the basis of the obtained rough signal, and a canopy gimbal 11 turns, following the turn of the image pick-up part gimbal 4 through a driving gear 14a. Therefore, an image pick-up part 6 and the image pick-up window 11a of the canopy gimbal 11 can be always held in the correspondence state, and the image pick-up part gimbal 4 is prevented from being influenced by the external turbulance of wind pressure, and the prescribed stable space position is held, and a stable image can be taken up.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit, and in particular, a canopy gimbal that rotates to follow the imaging unit is provided on the outside of an imaging unit gimbal that has an imaging unit, and is capable of high-speed The present invention relates to a novel improvement for spatially stabilizing an imaging unit provided in a moving body regardless of external wind pressure disturbances.

b. Conventional Technology There are various gimbal mechanisms of this type for the imaging unit that have been used in the past, but to describe the typical ones, here we do not disclose any literature etc. regarding the conventional examples. In the case of the generally used space stabilizer for vehicle-mounted TV cameras, a structure was adopted in which the imaging unit gimbal in which the imaging unit was built was exposed to the outside.

C1 Problems to be Solved by the Invention The conventional gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit was configured as shown below, and therefore had the following problems.

In other words, since the imaging unit gimbal was exposed to the outside air,
For example, when mounted on a high-speed moving object such as a car or airplane, the imaging unit gimbal is affected by minute movements due to strong wind pressure disturbances, and it always remains in the same direction regardless of the rotation or shaking of the high-speed moving object. Even if the imaging unit gimbal was controlled in direction to maintain the stability, the images taken from the imaging unit were extremely blurred, and it was not possible to obtain a stable image that was sufficiently controlled by the spatial stabilization platform.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and in particular, a canopy gimbal that rotates to follow the imaging unit gimbal having an imaging unit is provided on the outside of the imaging unit gimbal, and the canopy gimbal is provided on a high-speed moving object. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gimbal mechanism for an imaging section that allows the imaging section to be spatially stabilized regardless of external wind pressure disturbances.

61 Means for Solving the Problems The gimbal mechanism for an imaging section according to the present invention provides
In the device having an imaging unit gimbal that is rotatably provided in the axial direction and has an imaging unit built in, the imaging unit gimbal includes an imaging unit gimbal angle sensor that is provided on the imaging unit gimbal and detects a rotation angle in the X-axis direction; an imaging unit gimbal drive unit for rotationally driving; a canopy gimbal provided at an external position of the imaging unit gimbal coaxially therewith and rotatable in the X-axis direction; and a canopy gimbal provided at one end of the canopy gimbal. It includes an imaging window provided corresponding to the imaging section and a canopy gimbal drive section for rotationally driving the canopy gimbal, and the canopy gimbal drive section rotates the canopy gimbal based on a position signal from the imaging section gimbal angle sensor.
This configuration allows the gimbal to follow the rotation.

In the imaging unit gimbal mechanism according to the present invention, a canopy gimbal having an imaging unit window is provided outside the imaging unit gimbal, and the canopy gimbal completely protects the imaging unit gimbal from external wind pressure disturbances. Therefore, when the imaging unit gimbal maintains a predetermined spatially stable position, wind pressure disturbances will not affect the imaging unit gimbal, and stable spatial stability will be maintained without image blurring etc. Can maintain position.

Furthermore, since the canopy gimbal is rotated in synchronization with the rotation of the imaging unit gimbal based on a rotational position signal from an imaging unit gimbal angle sensor provided in the imaging unit gimbal, the optical axis line of the imaging unit window and the imaging unit is match and can take good images.

f. Embodiments Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit according to the present invention.

What is indicated by the reference numeral 1 in the figure is a base provided so as to be rotatable in the X-axis direction. A pair of imaging unit gimbal shafts 5 having fixed imaging unit gimbals 4 are arranged so as to be rotatable in the Y-axis direction Y.

In the imaging unit gimbal 4, an imaging unit 6 consisting of a camera, a TV camera, a telescope, etc. is provided, and the optical axis 6b of the lens 6a coincides with the X axis.

An imaging unit gimbal angle sensor 7 comprising a multi-speed resolver or the like and an imaging unit gimbal drive unit 8 comprising a direct drive motor or the like are disposed on one side of each of the imaging unit gimbal shafts 5 while being held by an external cover integral 9. has been done.

A pair of second bearings 10 disposed coaxially with and inside the first bearing 6 in the base 1 include a canopy gimbal 11 located outside the imaging unit gimbal 4.
is disposed coaxially with the imaging unit gimbal 4 and rotatable in the Y-axis direction Y, and at the front of this canopy gimbal 11, a lens 6a of the imaging unit 6 corresponds to the same light beam. An imaging section window 11a made of a transparent plate and serving as the shaft 6b is provided.

Further, a sliding body 12 is provided between the tapered outer circumferential portion 11b of the canopy gimbal 11 and the tapered receiving portion 1a of the base 1.
1 is rotatably provided with respect to the base 1 by the second bearing 10 and the sliding body 12.

A driven gear 13 formed on one side of the canopy gimbal 11 includes a drive gear 1 of a canopy gimbal drive section 14 comprising a motor provided on the side 1b of the base 1.
4a are engaged with each other, and this canopy gimbal drive unit 1
4, the canopy gimbal 11 is configured to rotate in the Y-axis direction Y. This canopy
The gimbal drive section 14 includes this canopy gimbal 11.
A canopy gimbal angle sensor f-15 is provided for detecting the rotational position of the canopy gimbal 11 using a rough signal from the imaging unit gimbal angle sensor 7.
is configured to follow the rotation.

The gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit according to the present invention is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below.

First, when the gimbal mechanism 20 for an imaging unit according to the present invention is attached to a high-speed moving body (not shown) such as a car or an airplane, and the imaging unit 6 continuously tracks and captures a predetermined object, the X-axis of the base 1 The rotation in the direction X follows the rotational position in the X-axis direction, and the imaging unit gimbal 4 performs a predetermined rotation by the operation of the imaging unit gimbal drive unit 8, so that the imaging unit 6 always directs the light to a predetermined spatial position. It becomes possible to orient the same direction as the axis 6b (X-axis direction X).

In the above case, when the imaging unit gimbal 4 rotates,
This rotation state is detected by the imaging unit gimbal angle sensor 7, and the canopy gimbal drive unit 14 operates based on the rough signal obtained from the imaging unit gimbal angle sensor f-7. 1
1 rotates following the rotation of the imaging unit gimbal 4, and the rotational position at that time is detected by the canopy-gimbal angle sensor 15.

Therefore, even if the imaging unit gimbal 4 changes its attitude to any rotational position, the imaging unit 6 and the imaging window 11°a of the canopy gimbal 11 can always maintain a corresponding state, and when moving at high speed The wind pressure disturbance from the front is completely blocked by the canopy gimbal 11,
The imaging unit gimbal 4 is configured to be able to maintain a predetermined spatially stable position without being affected by wind pressure disturbances.

Similarly, a control signal for driving the rotational drive means (not shown) of the base 1 and the imaging unit gimbal drive unit 8 is obtained by a sensor such as a gyro installed in a high-speed moving object such as an automobile or an airplane. It is formed based on the data obtained.

6. Effects of the Invention Since the gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit according to the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

In other words, since the canopy gimbal is rotatably installed on the outside of the imaging unit gimbal with a coaxial structure with a length of 1 m, all external wind pressure disturbances during high-speed movement are received only by the canopy gimbal, and the imaging unit gimbal is There is no wind pressure disturbance of any kind, and stable images without blur can be taken.

In addition, since the canopy gimbal rotates following the rotation of the imaging unit gimbal, the imaging unit and the imaging unit window 11a of the canopy gimbal can always be maintained in a corresponding state.
It is possible to shoot stable images.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure $1 is a sectional view showing a gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit according to the present invention. X...X-axis direction, Y...Y-axis direction, 4...imaging unit gimbal, 6...imaging unit, 7...imaging unit gimbal angle sensor
8... Imaging unit gimbal drive unit %11... Canopy gimbal, 11a imaging unit window, moving part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit having an imaging unit gimbal (4) rotatably provided in the X-axis direction (X) and the Y-axis direction (Y) and incorporating an imaging unit (6), the imaging unit gimbal (4) an imaging unit gimbal angle sensor (7) provided to detect a rotation angle in the Y-axis direction (Y); an imaging unit gimbal drive unit (8) for rotating the imaging unit gimbal (4); and an imaging unit gimbal drive unit (8) for rotationally driving the imaging unit gimbal (4); a canopy gimbal (11) provided at an external position of the gimbal (4) coaxially therewith and rotatable in the Y-axis direction (Y); and a canopy gimbal (11) provided at one end of the canopy gimbal (11) and the imaging section. (6); and a canopy gimbal drive unit (14) for rotationally driving the canopy gimbal (11); (7) A gimbal mechanism for an imaging unit, characterized in that the canopy gimbal (11) is configured to follow and rotate based on the position signal from the camera.