Gimbal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10073326-B2
Application number	US-201715410856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A gimbal comprises a first support frame, a second support frame, a third support frame, and a support assembly. The first support frame comprises two first-frame pillars, two guiding posts, and two clamping devices. The two guiding posts are movable along a longitudinal direction of the first-frame pillars through the clamping devices. The support assembly comprises two adaptors slidably arranged on the guiding posts. The third support frame comprises a third-frame pillar and a connecting plate. The gimbal further comprises at least one center of gravity adjusting unit which is arranged at least on the first-frame pillar, between the two clamping devices, or in the connecting plate. The at least one center of gravity adjusting unit is configured to at least adjust positions of the guiding posts on the first-frame pillars, positions of the adaptors on the guiding posts, or a position of the third-frame pillar on the connecting plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gimbal for carrying an imaging device, comprising:
a first support frame comprising:
two first-frame pillars;
two clamping devices arranged on the two first-frame pillars, respectively; and
a guiding post connected between the two first-frame pillars through the two clamping devices, respectively, and configured to move along a longitudinal direction of the first-frame pillars;

a second support frame pivotably connected with the first support frame;
a third support frame pivotably connected with the second support frame, the third support frame comprising:
a third-frame pillar connected with the second support frame; and
a connecting plate movably arranged on the third-frame pillar;

a support assembly comprising an adaptor slidably arranged on the guiding post; and
a center of gravity adjusting unit being:
arranged on one of the first-frame pillars and configured to adjust a position of the guiding post on the first-frame pillars, or
arranged between the two clamping devices and configured to adjust a position of the adaptor on the guiding post, or
arranged in the connecting plate and configured to adjust a position of the third-frame pillar on the connecting plate,

wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit comprises a threaded rod, one end of the threaded rod being provided with a rotating handle or a driving motor configured to drive the threaded rod to rotate.

2. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit is arranged on the one of the first-frame pillars and configured to adjust the position of the guiding post on the first-frame pillars.

3. The gimbal of claim 2 , wherein:
the center of gravity adjusting unit further comprises:
two snap rings sleeved at two ends of the one of the first-frame pillars, respectively,

one of the clamping devices is located between the two snap rings and comprises a collar having a threaded hole, and
the threaded rod is sleeved in the snap rings and threadedly connected with the threaded hole.

4. The gimbal of claim 3 , wherein:
the center of gravity adjusting unit further comprises two bearings,
each of the two snap rings includes a bearing hole configured to receive one of the bearings, and
two ends of the threaded rod are received in the two bearings, respectively.

5. The gimbal of claim 3 , wherein the collar comprises:
a pillar clamping hole having an axial direction approximately parallel to an axial direction of the threaded hole, the pillar clamping hole being configured to receive the one of the first-frame pillars, and a shape and a size of the pillar clamping hole corresponding to a shape and a size of the one of the first-frame pillars, respectively; and
a guiding post receiving portion having an axial direction approximately perpendicular to an axial direction of the pillar clamping hole, the guiding post receiving portion being configured to receive one end of the guiding post.

6. The gimbal of claim 5 , wherein each of the clamping devices comprises a clamp locking member configured to release or lock the guiding post to allow an adjustment of a position of the guiding post on the corresponding first-frame pillar.

7. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit is arranged between the two clamping devices and configured to adjust the position of the adaptor on the guiding post.

8. The gimbal of claim 7 , wherein:
the adaptor is a first adaptor,
the support assembly further comprises a second adaptor slidably arranged on the guiding post,
two ends of the threaded rod are fixed on the two clamping devices, respectively, and
the center of gravity adjusting unit further comprises:
a rotating member rotatably movably arranged on and threadedly connected with the threaded rod, the rotating member being arranged between the first adaptor and the second adaptor.

9. The gimbal of claim 8 , wherein:
each of the clamping devices comprises a collar having a rod fixing hole provided at a middle position of the collar, and
two ends of the threaded rod are fixed in the two rod fixing holes, respectively.

10. The gimbal of claim 9 , wherein:
the rotating member abuts against an inner sidewall of the first adaptor and an inner sidewall of the second adaptor, and
the rotating member includes a threaded hole at a central portion of the rotating member, the threaded hole being threadedly connected with the threaded rod.

11. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit is arranged in the connecting plate and configured to adjust the position of the third-frame pillar on the connecting plate.

12. The gimbal of claim 11 , wherein:
the connecting plate comprises a bottom surface having a receiving groove,
the threaded rod is sleeved on two sidewalls of the receiving groove, and
the center of gravity adjusting unit further comprises:
a moving member rotatably movably arranged on the threaded rod, the moving member comprising:
a first moving portion fixedly connected with the second support frame; and
a second moving portion connected with the first moving portion and including a threaded hole, the threaded rod being inserted in the threaded hole and threadedly connected with the threaded hole.

13. The gimbal of claim 12 , wherein:
the receiving groove comprises an outer sidewall,
the center of gravity adjusting unit comprises two bearings, one of the two bearings being fixed in the receiving groove, and another one of the bearings being fixed to the outer sidewall, and
one end of the threaded rod is sleeved in the one of the two bearings fixed in the receiving groove.

14. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the support assembly further comprises:
a mounting plate fixed to the adaptor;
a supporting plate slidably arranged on the mounting plate; and
a press-locking device arrange at one side of the mounting plate and configured to fix the supporting plate on the mounting plate.

15. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein:
the adaptor comprises a first pressing block and a second pressing block disposed opposite to each other and jointly locked by a screw, a circular slot being formed between the first pressing block and the second pressing block,
the guiding post is inserted in the circular slot,
the adaptor is fixed on the guiding post when the screw is tightened and is capable of sliding on the guiding post along a longitudinal direction of the guiding post when the screw is released, and
a nut of the screw is fixed to a lever.

16. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the second support frame comprises:
a driving device;
two second-frame pillars, one of the second-frame pillars being pivotably connected with a rotating shaft of one of the first-frame pillars, and another one of the second-frame pillars being pivotably connected with a rotating shaft of the other one of the first-frame pillars through the driving device; and
a connecting pillar connecting the two second-frame pillars, the two second-frame pillars and the connecting pillar jointly forming a U-shaped structure.

17. The gimbal of claim 16 , wherein:
the driving device is a first driving device, and
the third support frame further comprises a second driving device rotatably connected to the connecting pillar to drive the second support frame to rotate, the second driving device being fixed to one end of the third-frame pillar, and another end of the third-frame pillar is connected to the connecting plate.

18. The gimbal of claim 17 , further comprising:
a driving portion configured to drive t

Assignees

• Sz Dji Osmo Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhou Li
• Zhao Yanchong

Classifications

• F16M11/24

  changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, {e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each other}(F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/2092

  comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage · CPC title

• F16M13/04

  for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains {, e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head (apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B)} · CPC title

• F16M11/045 Primary

  adapted to left-right translation movement · CPC title

• F16M11/205

  the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. gimbals · CPC title