GIMBAL AND LOCKING STRUCTURE

• US 20180187824A1
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2015
• 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)
• Granted Patent: US 10,400,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 11/123 the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/16 Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A gimbal includes a yaw-axis structure and a locking structure. The yaw-axis structure includes a rotating member and a bearing member connected to the rotating member. The locking structure is coupled to the rotating member and includes a cover fixed on the rotating member with a receiving slot formed between the cover and the rotating member, a locking switch received in the receiving slot and slidable along the receiving slot, and a positioning snap member. One end of the positioning snap member is connected to the locking switch via an elastic member. Another end of the positioning snap member includes a snap-fit portion configured to be snapped to the bearing member to effect a yaw-axis locking of the gimbal when the locking switch is pushed downwards to exert a pressure on the positioning snap member and the snap-fit portion is aligned with a preset position of the bearing member.

Claims

1. A gimbal comprising:

a yaw-axis structure including;

a rotating member; and

a bearing member rotatably connected to the rotating member; and

a locking structure coupled to the rotating member, the locking structure includes;

a cover fixed on the rotating member, a receiving slot being formed between the cover and the rotating member;

a locking switch received in the receiving slot and being slidable along the receiving slot; and

a positioning snap member, one end of the positioning snap member being connected to the locking switch via an elastic member, and another end of the positioning snap member including a snap-fit portion,

wherein the snap-fit portion is configured to be snapped to the bearing member to effect a yaw-axis locking of the gimbal when the locking switch is pushed downwards to exert a pressure on the positioning snap member via the elastic member and the snap-fit portion is aligned with a preset position of the bearing member.

2. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the locking structure further includes a switch cap rigidly connected to the locking switch and received in and slidable along an open slot of the rotating member.

3. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the elastic member includes a spring, one end of the spring being connected to the locking switch and another end of the spring being connected to the positioning snap member.

4. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein:

the locking switch includes a hollow-square structure having a cavity and an opening at one end of the locking switch,

the elastic member and the one end of the positioning snap member connected with the elastic member are accommodated in the cavity of the locking switch, and

the other end of the positioning snap member is positioned outside the locking switch.

5. The gimbal of claim 4, wherein the one end of the positioning snap member connected with the elastic member includes a T-shaped structure.

6. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the bearing member includes an opening or a recess at the preset position of the bearing member.

7. A locking structure comprising:

a cover configured to be fixed on a rotating member of a yaw-axis structure of a gimbal and form a receiving slot between the cover and the rotating member;

a locking switch configured to be received in the receiving slot and slidable along the receiving slot; and

a positioning snap member, one end of the positioning snap member being connected to the locking switch via an elastic member, and another end of the positioning snap member including a snap-fit portion,

wherein the snap-fit portion is configured to be snapped to a bearing member of the yaw-axis structure to effect a yaw-axis locking of the gimbal when the locking switch is pushed downwards to exert a pressure on the positioning snap member via the elastic member and the snap-fit portion is aligned with a preset position of the bearing member.

8. The locking structure of claim 7, further comprising:

a switch cap rigidly connected to the locking switch and received in and slidable along an open slot of the rotating member.

9. The locking structure of claim 7, wherein the elastic member includes a spring, one end of the spring being connected to the locking switch and another end of the spring being connected to the positioning snap member.

10. The locking structure of claim 7, wherein:

the locking switch includes a hollow-square structure having a cavity and an opening at one end of the locking switch,

the elastic member and the one end of the positioning snap member connected with the elastic member are accommodated in the cavity of the locking switch, and

the other end of the positioning snap member is positioned outside the locking switch.

11. The locking structure of claim 10, wherein the one end of the positioning snap member connected with the elastic member includes a T-shaped structure.

12. The locking structure of claim 7, wherein the bearing member includes an opening or a recess at the preset position of the bearing member.

13. A handle gimbal comprising:

a handle including a battery compartment; and

a gimbal coupled to the handle, the gimbal including;

a yaw-axis structure connected to the handle and including a locking structure;

a roll-axis structure connected to the yaw-axis structure and configured to be rotated by the yaw-axis structure; and

a pitch-axis structure connected to the roll-axis structure and configured to be rotated by the roll-axis structure, the pitch-axis structure being configured to support a load and drive the load to rotate,

wherein the yaw-axis structure is configured to be locked by the locking structure when the yaw-axis structure rotates to a preset position in a non-operational state of the gimbal.

14. The handle gimbal of claim 13, wherein:

the yaw-axis structure further includes;

a rotating member; and

a bearing member rotatably connected to the rotating member, and

the locking structure is provided at one of the rotating member and the bearing member, and configured to engage with another one of the rotating member and the bearing member to lock a rotational position of the rotating member relative to the bearing member.

15. The handle gimbal of claim 14, wherein the locking structure includes:

a positioning snap member movably provided on the one of the rotating member and the bearing member, and configured to engage with the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member;

a locking switch coupled with the positioning snap member and configured to drive the positioning snap member to move to put the positioning snap member in a locked state or an unlocked state; and

an elastic member configured to provide an elastic restoring force to the positioning snap member, to automatically restore a position of the positioning snap member.

16. The handle gimbal of claim 15, wherein the locking switch is slidably connected to the one of the rotating member and the bearing member, and is configured to drive the positioning snap member to slide relative to the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member, such that the positioning snap member is engaged with or disengaged from the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member.

17. The handle gimbal of claim 15, wherein:

the positioning snap member is configured to rotate around a shaft arranged at a middle part of the positioning snap member,

one end of the positioning snap member is an engaging end and another end of the positioning snap member is a driving end, and

the locking switch is configured to push the driving end to lift up the engaging end, such that the positioning snap member is disengaged from the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member.

18. The handle gimbal of claim 17, wherein the positioning snap member is configured to remain engaged with the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member under the elastic force of the elastic member.

19. The handle gimbal of claim 15, wherein:

the positioning snap member is configured to rotate around a shaft arranged at a middle part of the positioning snap member,

one end of the positioning snap member is an engaging end, and

the locking switch is configured to push the engaging end, such that the engaging end and the positioning snap member are engaged with the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member.

20. The handle gimbal of claim 19, wherein the positioning snap member is configured to remain disengaged from the other one of the rotating member and the bearing member under the elastic force of the elastic member.