Isolation joint with spherical bearing and integral angle measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319985-B2
Application number	US-202016984002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2020
Priority date	Aug 3, 2020
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

An isolation joint with an integral angle measurement system. The isolation joint includes a suspension interface yoke, a payload support member, a spherical bearing, and an integral angle measurement system. The suspension interface yoke includes a suspension interface configured to couple the suspension interface yoke to one or more suspension bars. The payload support member includes a payload interface configured to couple a payload to the payload support member. The spherical bearing includes an inner race secured to one of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member and an outer race secured to the other of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member. The integral angle measurement system includes a plurality of position sensors configured to measure a change in position between the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An isolation joint with integral angle measurement, comprising:
a suspension interface yoke comprising a suspension interface configured to couple the suspension interface yoke to one or more suspension bars;
a payload support member comprising a payload interface configured to couple a payload to the payload support member;
a spherical bearing having an inner race secured to one of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member and an outer race secured to the other of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member, wherein the inner race is rotatable relative to the outer race about three orthogonal rotational axes and fixed in translation relative to three orthogonal translational axes; and
an integral angle measurement system comprising a plurality of position sensors configured to measure a change in position between the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member, each of the plurality of position sensors being secured to one of the payload support member or the suspension interface yoke.

2. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , further comprising a bearing retainer and a retaining member, wherein the suspension interface yoke further comprises a socket sized and shaped to receive the outer race of the spherical bearing and the bearing retainer is configured to retain the outer race within the socket, the inner race of the spherical bearing comprises an aperture, and the payload support member comprises a shaft sized and shaped to be received in the aperture of the inner race and the retaining member is configured to retain the shaft within the aperture of the inner race.

3. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 2 , wherein the bearing retainer comprises a sensor target and at least one position sensor of the plurality of position sensors is proximate the sensor target.

4. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , wherein the integral angle measurement system comprises a plurality of sensor targets supported by at least one of the suspension interface yoke or the payload support member proximate the plurality of position sensors.

5. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 4 , wherein the sensor targets are formed of titanium.

6. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , wherein the integral angle measurement system comprises a first pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a first rotational axis, a second pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first rotational axis, and a third pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a third axis of rotation orthogonal to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

7. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of rotational hard stops configured to inhibit rotation of the payload support member relative to the suspension interface yoke.

8. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , wherein the payload support member further comprises a recess sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the suspension interface yoke.

9. The isolation joint with integral angle measurement of claim 1 , further comprising at least one channel or recess formed in a surface of the payload support member to facilitate the routing of cables connected to the plurality of position sensors out of and away from the isolation joint.

10. A system for inertially stabilizing a payload, comprising:
a support structure comprising one or more suspension bars;
the payload; and
an isolation joint with integral angle measurement coupled to the support structure via the one or more suspension bars, the isolation joint with integral angle measurement comprising:
a suspension interface yoke comprising a suspension interface coupling the suspension interface yoke to the one or more suspension bars;
a payload support member comprising a payload interface coupling the payload to the payload support member, the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member being movably supported relative to one another;
a spherical bearing having an inner race secured to one of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member and an outer race secured to the other of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member, wherein the inner race is rotatable relative to the outer race about three orthogonal rotational axes and fixed in translation along the three orthogonal axes; and
an integral angle measurement system comprising a plurality of position sensors configured to measure a change in position between the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member, each of the plurality of position sensors being secured to one of the payload support member or the suspension interface yoke.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the payload comprises an imaging device.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the payload comprises a sensor.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the suspension interface yoke comprises a socket sized and shaped to receive the outer race of the spherical bearing and a bearing retainer configured to retain the outer race within the socket, the inner race of the spherical bearing comprises an aperture, and the payload support member comprises a shaft sized and shaped to be received in the aperture of the inner race and a retaining member configured to retain the shaft within the aperture of the inner race.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the bearing retainer comprises a sensor target and at least one position sensor of the plurality of position sensors is proximate the sensor target.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the suspension interface yoke has at least one sensor target secured to the suspension interface yoke and at least one position sensor is secured to the payload support member proximate the at least one sensor target.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the integral angle measurement system comprises a first pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a first rotational axis, a second pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first rotational axis, and a third pair of position sensors operable to measure relative rotation of the suspension interface yoke and the payload support member about a third axis of rotation orthogonal to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the integral angle measurement system comprises a plurality of sensor targets supported proximate at least one of the first, second or third pairs of position sensors.

18. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of rotational hard stops configured to inhibit rotation of the payload support member relative to the suspension interface yoke.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the payload support member further comprises a recess sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the suspension interface yoke.

20. A method of configuring an

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Kyhl Curtis

Classifications

• F16C2233/00

  Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration · CPC title

• B60R2011/0089

  around three axes, i.e. universally mounted · CPC title

• F16M13/022

  repositionable · CPC title

• B64D47/00

  Equipment not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F16C11/06 Primary

  Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints (universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16) · CPC title