Gimbal, imaging device and unmanned aerial vehicle using the gimbal

• US 10,315,781 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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, Tao, Yan, Qilong
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Kevin C
• Application Number:
  US15/438,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20170174362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 396428
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 11/2071 for panning and rolling F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

A gimbal comprises a carrying plate, a quick release assembly detachably mounted on the carrying plate and configured to detachably mount the gimbal on an unmanned aerial vehicle, and an angle adjusting mechanism rotatably disposed on the carrying plate and configured to connect with a load and to drive the load to rotate. The quick release assembly and the angle adjusting mechanism are arranged side by side on the carrying plate.

Claims

1. A gimbal comprising:

a carrying plate;

a quick release assembly detachably mounted on the carrying plate and configured to detachably mount the gimbal on an unmanned aerial vehicle; and

an angle adjusting mechanism rotatably disposed on the carrying plate and configured to connect with a load and to drive the load to rotate,

wherein the quick release assembly and the angle adjusting mechanism are arranged side by side on the carrying plate.

2. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism comprises an electronic speed adjustor, a yaw-axis motor electrically connected with the electronic speed adjustor, and a bracket rotatably connected with the yaw-axis motor.

3. The gimbal of claim 2, wherein:

the carrying plate is a flat plate comprising a first surface including a receiving groove and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface, and

the electronic speed adjustor is disposed within the receiving groove and covered by the quick release assembly.

4. The gimbal of claim 3, further comprising:

a stopping device provided on the second surface of the carrying plate,

wherein;

a rotating shaft of the yaw-axis motor is received in the stopping device, and

one end of the bracket is received within the stopping device and connected with the rotating shaft of the yaw-axis motor.

5. The gimbal of claim 2, wherein the carrying plate has a “

Z”

-shaped structure and comprises;

a first carrying portion comprising a first plane and a second plane arranged opposite to each other, the first electronic speed adjustor being disposed on the first plane;

a second carrying portion carrying the quick release assembly; and

a connecting portion connecting the first carrying portion and the second carrying portion,

wherein an altitude of the first carrying portion along a vertical direction of the first carrying portion is greater than an altitude of the second carrying portion along a direction perpendicular to the first carrying portion.

6. The gimbal of claim 5, further comprising:

a cover body disposed on the carrying plate and covering the electronic speed adjustor.

7. The gimbal of claim 5, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism further comprises a yaw motor connecting shaft, one end of the yaw motor connecting shaft being fixed on the second plane, and another end of the yaw motor connecting shaft being connected to one end of the bracket through the yaw-axis motor.

8. The gimbal of claim 7, wherein the yaw-axis motor is a brushless motor, a stator of the yaw-axis motor being fixed to the yaw motor connecting shaft, and a rotator of the yaw-axis motor being received at the one end of the bracket.

9. The gimbal of claim 2,

wherein the angle adjusting mechanism is a first angle adjusting mechanism, the electronic speed adjustor is a first electronic speed adjustor, and the bracket is a first bracket,

the gimbal further comprising:

a second angle adjusting mechanism, comprising;

a second electronic speed adjustor;

a connecting shaft;

a second bracket; and

a roll-axis motor,

wherein;

the second electronic speed adjustor is received at one end of the first bracket distal from the carrying plate,

one end of the connecting shaft is fixed to the one end of the first bracket distal from the carrying plate, and

another end of the connecting shaft is connected to one end of the second bracket through the roll-axis motor.

10. The gimbal of claim 9, wherein the roll-axis motor is a brushless motor, a stator of the roll-axis motor being fixed to the connecting shaft, and a rotator of the roll-axis motor being received at the one end of the second bracket.

11. The gimbal of claim 9,

wherein the connecting shaft is a first connecting shaft,

the gimbal further comprising:

a third angle adjusting mechanism, comprising;

a third electronic speed adjustor;

a second connecting shaft; and

a pitch-axis motor,

wherein;

the third electronic speed adjustor is received at another end of the second bracket distal from the first bracket,

one end of the second connecting shaft is fixer to the other end of the second bracket distal from the first bracket, and

another end of the second connecting shaft is configured to be connected to the load through the pitch-axis motor.

12. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the load is a photographic element comprising:

a casing; and

an image sensor and an image processing circuit received within the casing, the image processing circuit being electrically connected with the image sensor.

13. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the quick release assembly comprises:

a first barrel body comprising a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other in an axial direction of the first barrel body, wherein;

a sliding slot is provided on an inner wall of the first end and extends along a circumferential direction of the inner wall, a passage being formed at an end portion of the sliding slot, and

a first stopping boss is provided on an end face of the second end;

a second barrel body received within the first barrel body, the first barrel body and the second barrel body being coaxial and rotatably connected with each other;

a plug-in member detachably mounted between the first barrel body and the second barrel body, a protruding bar being formed on and protruding from a periphery of the plug-in member, the protruding bar matching with the passage and being configured to enter into or exit from the sliding slot through the passage; and

a connecting plate fixedly connected with the second barrel body and configured to connect with the unmanned aerial vehicle, a second stopping boss being provided on the connecting plate and configured to abut against the first stopping boss to limit a rotating position of the first barrel body,

wherein the first barrel body is configured to rotate a position that the first stopping boss abuts against the second stopping boss to allow the protruding bar to enter into or exit from the sliding slot through the passage.

14. The gimbal of claim 13, wherein:

the first barrel body further comprises a side plate provided on and extending outward on the second end, the side plate comprising a horizontal end and a vertical end,

the first stopping boss comprises;

a connecting portion disposed on an end face of the vertical end and including an arc-shaped protruding bar; and

a shifting portion arranged on and protruding from a periphery of the first barrel body, and located at a center of the connecting portion, and

the first barrel body is configured to rotate about an axis of the first barrel body when the shifting portion is shifted.

15. The gimbal of claim 14,

wherein:

a through hole is provided at a center of the shifting portion, and

two plunger holes are provided on a periphery of the second barrel body, a distance between centers of the two plunger holes being equal to a length of the connecting portion,

the gimbal further comprising;

a plunger disposed within the through hole and configured to match with one of the two plunger holes when the first barrel rotates to the position that the first stopping boss abuts against the second stopping boss.

16. The gimbal of claim 14, wherein the second barrel body comprises a step face extending outward and configured to abut against an end face of the horizontal end, the step face being configured to connect the first barrel body and the second barrel body to sleeve the second barrel body within the first barrel body.

17. The gimbal of claim 14, wherein the second stopping boss includes an arc-shaped strip provided on the connecting plate and is attached with an end face of the vertical end.

18. The gimbal of claim 14, wherein:

the first barrel body comprises three passages disposed on the end portion of the sliding slot adjacent to the first end, and

the plug-in member comprises three protruding bars matching with the three passages, respectively.

19. The gimbal of claim 13, further comprising:

a first connector disposed on the connecting plate; and

a second connector provided on the plug-in member,

wherein the first connector and the second connector are configured to be electrically connected with each other when the first stopping boss abuts against the second stopping boss.

20. The gimbal of claim 13, wherein the quick release assembly further comprises a cushion elastically connected between the plug-in member and the first barrel body in an axial direction, the cushion being configured to be compressed by the first barrel body when the plug-in member is connected with the first barrel body.