Vibration damping gimbal sleeve for an aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12593128-B2
Application number	US-202418600021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2024
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

An aerial vehicle with a chassis; one or more dampers coupled to chassis; and a gimbal sleeve configured to couple to a gimbal of the aerial vehicle, the gimbal sleeve at least partially extending into the chassis, the gimbal sleeve comprising: a tube structured to couple with a gimbal connector of the gimbal, and an attachment mechanism configured to couple the tube to the chassis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aerial vehicle comprising:
a chassis; and a damping mechanism coupled to chassis, the damping mechanism comprising:
a gimbal sleeve configured to couple a gimbal to the aerial vehicle, the gimbal sleeve being connected to the chassis at connection points; and
springs connected to the gimbal sleeve that permit movement of the gimbal sleeve and the gimbal during movement of the aerial vehicle.

2 . The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the springs permit movement of the damping mechanism and the gimbal relative to the chassis.

3 . The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the gimbal sleeve comprises flanges that extend outward relative to the gimbal sleeve.

4 . The aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the springs are in direct contact with the flanges.

5 . The aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the chassis includes a ceiling surface and the flanges extend parallel to the ceiling surface.

6 . The aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the flanges are free of direct contact with the chassis.

7 . The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the damping mechanism includes a first side with two of the springs and a second side with two more of the springs.

8 . The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the gimbal sleeve extends away from the chassis and connects with the gimbal.

9 . An aerial vehicle comprising:
a gimbal; a chassis; and a damping mechanism movably coupled to the chassis, the damping mechanism comprising:
a gimbal sleeve in communication with the gimbal to support the gimbal relative to the chassis; and
springs movably connected to the gimbal sleeve that permit movement of the gimbal sleeve and the gimbal relative to the chassis.

10 . The aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the gimbal sleeve extends cantilever from the chassis.

11 . The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the gimbal sleeve has a first side and a second side with the springs in contact with the first side and the springs in contact with the second side.

12 . The aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein a first end of the damping mechanism is located adjacent to the chassis and a second end of the damping mechanism is spaced apart from the chassis relative to the first end.

13 . The aerial vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the gimbal is connected to the damping mechanism at the second end.

14 . The aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the springs compress when the damping mechanism moves relative to the chassis.

15 . An aerial vehicle comprising:
a gimbal; a chassis located at a forward end of the aerial vehicle and the gimbal being located forward of the chassis; and a damping mechanism coupled to chassis to support the gimbal, the damping mechanism comprising:
a gimbal sleeve in communication with the chassis; and
springs movably connected to the gimbal sleeve so that the gimbal sleeve and the gimbal are movable relative to the chassis.

16 . The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the gimbal sleeve comprises flanges that extend outward relative to the gimbal sleeve.

17 . The aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the springs are in direct contact with the flanges.

18 . The aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the chassis includes a ceiling surface and the flanges extend parallel to the ceiling surface.

19 . The aerial vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the flanges are free of direct contact with the chassis.

20 . The aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the gimbal sleeve extends cantilever from the chassis.

Assignees

• Skydio Inc

Inventors

• Saika Noriaki
• Fruhauf Christopher Bramley
• Kennedy Daniel Francis

Classifications

• B64U20/87

  Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• F16M2200/044

  for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage · CPC title