Clamping mechanism and gimbal having the clamping mechanism

• US 10,174,879 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2018
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhao, Xifeng, Liu, Guoyao
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B
• Application Number:
  US15/893,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20180163920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 1/00 Manipulators positioned in space by hand of master-slave type B25J3/00; micromanipulators B25J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0028 with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2028 for rolling, i.e. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 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 Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/563 Camera grips, handles means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly

Abstract

A gimbal includes a main body and a clamping mechanism rotatably connected to the main body. The clamping mechanism includes an adaptor connecting the clamping mechanism to the main body. The adaptor includes a connecting member connecting the adaptor to the main body. The clamping mechanism further includes a holding portion rotatably connected to the adaptor and one or more damping members disposed between the holding portion and the adaptor. The one or more damping members are configured to provide a resistance to a rotation of the holding portion with respect to the adaptor.

Claims

1. A gimbal comprising:

a main body; and

a clamping mechanism rotatably connected to the main body, the clamping mechanism comprising;

an adaptor connecting the clamping mechanism to the main body, the adaptor comprising a connecting member connecting the adaptor to the main body;

a holding portion rotatably connected to the adaptor; and

one or more damping members disposed between the holding portion and the adaptor, and configured to provide a resistance to a rotation of the holding portion with respect to the adaptor.

2. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the clamping mechanism is configured to overcome the resistance provided by the one or more damping members to rotate the holding portion with respect to the adaptor in a rotating state.

3. The gimbal of claim 2, wherein the one or more damping members are configured to maintain an attitude of the holding portion with respect to the adaptor by the resistance when the clamping mechanism is in a locked state.

4. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the holding portion comprises:

a first clamping member; and

a second clamping member rotatably connected to the first clamping member and connected to the adaptor.

5. The gimbal of claim 4, wherein the first clamping member comprises:

a bottom casing;

a pivoting portion connected to the bottom casing; and

a guiding member connected to the bottom casing and configured to guide a movement of the bottom casing relative to the pivoting portion.

6. The gimbal of claim 5, wherein:

the guiding member comprises a guiding slot, and

the first clamping member further comprises a tension spring, one end of the tension spring being connected to the bottom casing, and another end of the tension spring passing through the guiding slot and being connected to the pivoting portion.

7. The gimbal of claim 6, wherein the first clamping member further comprises:

a base plate fixed to the bottom casing; and

a clamp rotatably connected to the base plate and configured to clamp an object.

8. The gimbal of claim 6, wherein the first clamping member further comprises an arm, one end of the arm being rotatably connected to the clamps, and another end of the arm being rotatably connected to the base plate.

9. The gimbal of claim 6, wherein the clamp comprises a holding slot for partially receiving a corner of the object when the object is clamped by the clamp.

10. The gimbal of claim 6, wherein the clamping mechanism further comprises:

a bearing plate fixed to the base plate; and

a first elastic member disposed on the bearing plate and configured to provide an elastic contact between the object and the bearing plate.

11. The gimbal of claim 6, wherein:

the guiding member comprises a restrainer,

the base plate comprises a stopper, and

the restrainer is configured to abut against the stopper to restrain a movement of the guiding member.

12. The gimbal of claim 4, wherein:

the second clamping member comprises a connecting body,

the adaptor comprises a chuck fixed to a bearing body and connected to the main body, and

the connecting member passes through the one or more damping members, the connecting body, and the chuck.

13. The gimbal of claim 12, wherein the one or more damping members comprise two damping members, one of the two damping members being disposed between the connecting body and the bearing body and abutting against one side of the connecting body and the bearing body, and another one of the two damping members abutting against another side of the connecting body.

14. The gimbal of claim 12, wherein the chuck comprises a tightening portion connected to the main body.

15. The gimbal of claim 14, wherein the tightening portion comprises a plurality of teeth on one end face of the chuck along a circumference of the chuck.

16. The gimbal of claim 12, wherein the second clamping member further comprises:

a connecting portion fixed to the connecting body; and

a second elastic member disposed on the connecting portion and the connecting body for clamping an object.

17. The gimbal of claim 12, wherein:

the adaptor further comprises a retaining ring and a nut,

the connecting member passes through the nut and the retaining ring, and

the retaining ring is located between the nut and the connecting body for preventing the nut from loosening.

18. The gimbal of claim 17, wherein:

the retaining ring comprises a ring hole, and

the bearing body comprises;

a body; and

a plain shaft connected to the body and comprising a fitting surface, the plain shaft passing through the one or more damping members, the connecting body, the retaining ring, and the nut in this order, and the fitting surface mating with the ring hole to restrain a rotation of the retaining ring about the plain shaft.

19. The gimbal of claim 18, wherein the connecting member comprises a threaded shaft, the threaded shaft passing through the plain shaft and the body and being partially received in the chuck.

20. The gimbal of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator rotatably connected to the main body for carrying an imaging device; and

a control system arranged at the main body, the control system comprising;

a mode button configured to control a mode of the actuator to switch between an operating mode and a non-operating mode; and

a rotation button configured to control the actuator to drive the imaging device to rotate by a predetermined angle with respect to the main body when the actuator is in the operating mode.