Gimbal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871704-B2
Application number	US-201916699382-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2019
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A gimbal for carrying an imaging device includes a support frame and a center of gravity adjusting unit arranged at the support frame. The center of gravity adjusting unit is configured to adjust a center of gravity of the support frame by moving one part of the support frame relative to another part of the support frame. The center of gravity adjusting unit includes a threaded rod. One end of the threaded rod is provided with a rotating handle or a driving motor configured to drive the threaded rod to rotate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gimbal for carrying an imaging device comprising:
a support frame; and
a center of gravity adjusting unit arranged at the support frame and configured to adjust a center of gravity of the support frame, the center of gravity adjusting unit including 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, and the center of gravity adjusting unit being configured to convert a rotation of the threaded rod into a linear movement of one part of the support frame relative to another part of the support frame to adjust the center of gravity of the support frame.

2. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes:
two pillars; and
a guiding post coupled to the two pillars, the guiding post being arranged approximately perpendicular to the two pillars and configured to carry the imaging device.

3. The gimbal of claim 2 , wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit is arranged on one of the pillars and configured to at least adjust a position of the guiding post on the pillars.

4. The gimbal of claim 3 , wherein:
the center of gravity adjusting unit further includes two snap rings sleeved at two ends of the one of the pillars, respectively; and
the threaded rod is sleeved in the snap rings.

5. The gimbal of claim 4 , wherein:
the center of gravity adjusting unit further includes 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 respectively received in the two bearings.

6. The gimbal of claim 4 , wherein:
the support frame further includes two clamping devices arranged on the two pillars, respectively;
the guiding post is coupled to the two pillars through the two clamping devices, respectively;
one of the clamping devices is located between the two snap rings and includes a threaded hole; and
the threaded rod of the center of gravity adjusting unit is threadedly connected with the threaded hole.

7. The gimbal of claim 2 , further comprising:
a support assembly including an adaptor slidably arranged on the guiding post.

8. The gimbal of claim 7 , wherein the center of gravity adjusting unit is coupled to the adaptor and configured to adjust a position of the adaptor on the guiding post.

9. The gimbal of claim 7 , wherein the support assembly further includes:
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.

10. The gimbal of claim 7 , wherein:
the adaptor is a first adaptor; and
the support assembly further comprises a second adaptor slidably arranged on the guiding post.

11. The gimbal of claim 2 , wherein:
the support frame further includes two clamping devices arranged on the two pillars, respectively; and
the guiding post is coupled to the two pillars through the two clamping devices, respectively.

12. The gimbal of claim 11 , wherein:
one of the two clamping devices includes a threaded hole; and
the threaded rod of the center of gravity adjusting unit is threadedly connected with the threaded hole.

13. The gimbal of claim 12 , wherein:
the guiding post is a first guiding post;
the support frame further includes a second guiding post arranged approximately parallel to the first guiding post and coupled to the two pillars through the two clamping devices, respectively;
each of the two clamping devices includes two guiding post receiving portions each configured to receive one end of the first guiding post or the second guiding post; and
the threaded hole is arranged between the two guiding post receiving portions of the one of the two clamping devices.

14. The gimbal of claim 13 , wherein:
the first support frame includes:
two first-frame pillars; and
a guiding post coupled to the two pillars, the guiding post being arranged approximately perpendicular to the two pillars and configured to carry the imaging device; and

the second support frame includes:
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 another one of the first-frame pillars through the driving device; and
a connecting pillar connecting the two second-frame pillars.

15. The gimbal at claim 14 , further comprising: a third support frame pivotably connected with the second support frame, the third support frame including: a third-frame pillar connected with the connecting pillar; and a connecting plate movably arranged on the third-frame pillar.

16. The gimbal of claim 1 ,
wherein the support frame is a first support frame;
the gimbal further comprising:
a second support frame pivotably connected with the first support frame.

17. The gimbal of claim 1 , wherein:
the support frame includes:
a pillar; and
a connecting plate movably arranged on the pillar; and

the center of gravity adjusting unit is arranged in the connecting plate and configured to adjust a position of the pillar on the connecting plate.

18. The gimbal of claim 17 , wherein:
the connecting plate includes 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 includes:
a moving member rotatably movably arranged on the threaded rod, the moving member including:
a first moving portion fixedly connected with the pillar; 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.

19. The gimbal of claim 18 , wherein:
the receiving groove includes an outer sidewall;
the center of gravity adjusting unit further includes two bearings, one of the bearings being fixed to the outer sidewall, and another one of the bearings being fixed in the receiving groove; and
the one end of the threaded rod is sleeved in the one of the bearings and another end of the threaded rod is sleeved in the another one of the bearings.

20. A gimbal operating method comprising:
providing a gimbal, the gimbal including:
a support frame; and
a center of gravity adjusting unit arranged at the support frame and including 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; and

configuring the center of gravity adjusting unit to convert a rotation of the threaded rod, through rotating the rotating handle or starting the driving motor, into a linear movement of one part of the support frame relative to another part of the support frame to adjust a center of gravity of the support frame.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Osmo Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhou Li
• Zhao Yanchong

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• F16M11/045 Primary

  adapted to left-right translation movement · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16M2200/044

  for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage · CPC title