ACTIVE CAMERA APPARATUS AND ROBOT APPARATUS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An active camera apparatus, comprising:
- an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening;
a camera in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening;
a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera, the camera support member having an engagement pin projected on an outer surface of the camera support member;
a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis;
a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis;
an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit, the open-close member having an engagement hole into which the engagement pin movably fits, a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the first axis being longer than a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the second axis.
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Abstract
An outer body of ball shell type has an opening. A camera is located in the outer body and receives an image from outside of the outer body through the opening. A camera support unit is located in the outer body and rotationally supports the camera along a first axis and a second axis mutually crossed at a center of the outer body. A first camera actuator is located in the outer body and rotationally actuates the camera around the first axis. A second camera actuator is located in the outer body and rotationally actuates the camera around the second axis.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An active camera apparatus, comprising:
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an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening; a camera in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening; a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera, the camera support member having an engagement pin projected on an outer surface of the camera support member; a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis; a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis; an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit, the open-close member having an engagement hole into which the engagement pin movably fits, a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the first axis being longer than a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An active camera apparatus, comprising
an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening; -
a camera in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening; a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera; a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis and being a first motor; a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis and being a second motor; an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit; a torsion spring inter-carried in a space between the support pin and the support hole, the torsion spring energizing the open-close member along a rotation direction around the second axis; and a third motor in the outer body, a rotation axis of the third motor joining with a pulley around which a wire is turned, a tip of the wire being connected to one end of an inside of the open-close member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A robot apparatus, comprising:
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an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening; a camera as an eyeball in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening; a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera; a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis; a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis; an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit, the open-close member having an engagement hole into which an engagement pin movably fits, a length of the engagement hole-along a rotation direction around the first axis being longer than a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A robot apparatus, comprising:
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an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening; a camera as an eyeball in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening; a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera; a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis and being a first motor; a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis and being a second motor; an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit; a torsion spring inter-carried in a space between the support pin and the support hole, the torsion spring energizing the open-close member along a rotation direction around the second axis; and a third motor in the outer body, a rotation axis of the third motor joining with a pulley around which a wire is turned, a tip of the wire being connected to one end of an inside of the open-close member. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification