Systems and methods for payload stabilization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670183-B2
Application number	US-201816049198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Feb 1, 2016
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A stabilizing device for stabilizing a payload includes a handle assembly, a payload stabilization assembly, and a constant force assembly. The handle assembly includes one or more grips configured to permit a user to support the entirety of the stabilizing device using the one or more grips. The payload stabilization assembly is configured to support the payload and permit the payload to rotate about at least one axis of rotation. The constant force assembly is operably connected to the handle assembly and supports the payload stabilization assembly. The constant force assembly is configured to provide a force that equipoises a gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in a vertical direction such that a net force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in the vertical direction is substantially zero.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stabilizing device for stabilizing a payload, comprising:
a handle assembly comprising one or more grips configured to permit a user to support the entirety of the stabilizing device using the one or more grips;
a payload stabilization assembly configured to support the payload and permit the payload to rotate about at least one axis of rotation; and
a constant force assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and supporting the payload stabilization assembly, wherein the constant force assembly is configured to provide a force that equipoises a gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in a vertical direction such that a net force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in the vertical direction is substantially zero,
wherein the constant force assembly comprises a constant force spring exerting a substantially constant force over an entire range of extension of the constant force spring to equipoise the gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload,
wherein the constant force spring comprises a rolled metal strip and a spool, and an outer end of the rolled metal strip is connected to the payload stabilization assembly.

2. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing device permits vertical movement of the payload.

3. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the spool is configured to be driven by a motor to unroll the rolled strip in the vertical direction to an expected position.

4. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the payload stabilization assembly comprise a support bar, a linkage mechanism, an upper support plate for supporting the constant force assembly, and a lower support plate for supporting the payload; and
one end of the support bar is attached to the handle assembly and another end of the support bar is attached to the linkage mechanism for securing the payload in the vertical direction such that the payload moves steadily in the vertical direction.

5. The stabilizing device of claim 4 , wherein:
the linkage mechanism comprises two pairs of link bars, which are angled by 90 degrees and are symmetric about the support bar; and
either pair of link bars comprises an upper link bar and a lower link bar, one end of the upper link bar being pivotally connected with one end of the lower link bar, another end of the upper link bar being attached to the upper support plate, and another end of the lower link bar being attached to the lower support plate such that the upper link bar and the lower link bar are angled.

6. The stabilizing device of claim 4 , wherein the lower support plate is detachably connected with a gimbal by which the payload is carried.

7. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly and the payload are electrically connected with one another through electrical wiring passing through the constant force assembly.

8. The stabilizing device of claim 7 , wherein one or more control buttons are arranged on the one or more grips for controlling rotations of the payload about the at least one axis of rotation.

9. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a single grip which is hinged to the constant force assembly such that the single grip has a variable orientation relative to the constant force assembly.

10. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is configured to be used as a handle for the payload after the handle assembly is disconnected from the constant force assembly and directly attached to the payload.

11. The stabilizing device of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is configured to have a variable orientation relative to the constant force assembly.

12. A stabilizing device for stabilizing a payload, comprising:
a handle assembly comprising one or more grips configured to permit a user to support the entirety of the stabilizing device using the one or more grips;
a payload stabilization assembly configured to support the payload and permit the payload to rotate about at least one axis of rotation; and
a constant force assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and supporting the payload stabilization assembly, wherein the constant force assembly is configured to provide a force that equipoises a gravity force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in a vertical direction such that a net force of the payload stabilization assembly with the payload in the vertical direction is substantially zero,
wherein the constant force assembly comprises a parallelogram linkage including:
a resilient member positioned proximately along a diagonal of the parallelogram linkage; and
four pivots, each of which is positioned at one of four corners of the parallelogram linkage;
wherein:
the four pivots comprise a first pivot, a second pivot, a third pivot, and a fourth pivot;
the first pivot and the second pivot are configured to be proximal to the handle assembly and to be vertically aligned with one another at an initial state, the second pivot being higher than the first pivot in the vertical direction; and
the third pivot and the fourth pivot are configured to be proximal to the payload stabilization assembly and to be vertically aligned with one another at the initial state, the fourth pivot being higher than the third pivot in the vertical direction.

13. The stabilizing device of claim 12 , wherein the resilient member includes a tension spring having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to a connecting rod connecting the first pivot and the third pivot at a first attachment point proximal to the third pivot, and the second end being attached to a connector between the second pivot and the first pivot in the vertical direction at a second attachment point.

14. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein the connector is moveably connected with an adjustment knob configured to be adjusted to cause the connector to move up and down in the vertical direction, thereby changing a height of the second attachment point in the vertical direction relative to the first pivot.

15. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein the second attachment point is offset in a vertical direction by a distance from a horizontal plane passing through longitudinal axes of the first pivot and the third pivot.

16. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein the first attachment point is on a vertical plane passing through longitudinal axes of the first pivot and the second pivot.

17. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein the first attachment point is offset in a horizontal direction by a distance from a vertical plane passing through longitudinal axes of the first pivot and the second pivot.

18. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein a vertical distance between the second attachment point and a center of the first pivot is variable such that the constant force assembly provides different forces for different payloads having different gravity forces.

19. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein a gravity center of the payload is offset by a distance in a horizontal direction from a vertical plane passing through longitudinal axes of the third pivot and the fourth pivot.

20. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein a gravity center of the payload is on a vertical plane passing through longitudinal axes of the third pivot and the fourth pivot.

21. The stabilizing device of claim 13 , wherein the force provided by the parallelogram

Assignees

• Sz Dji Osmo Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bin Peng
• Wang Peng
• Yin Chengyu

Classifications

• F16M2200/042

  for panning movement · CPC title

• F16M11/123

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

• F16M2200/041

  for balancing rotational movement of the head · CPC title

• F16M13/04 Primary

  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

• F16M11/18

  with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title