Pan and tilt unit
First Claim
1. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
- a base;
a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis;
a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon;
a pan motor mounted to the base and coupled to the pan platform to drive the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and
a tilt motor mounted to the base and coupled to the tilt bed to drive the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation;
each of the pan motor and the tilt motor being stationary relative to the base during the panning and tilting operations, the pan and tilt motors to be operated in opposite directions to maintain the tilt bed at a fixed tilt angle about the tilt axis as the pan platform rotates about the pan axis during the panning operation.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pan-tilt unit for positioning or aiming a device requiring motion control, such as a videoconferencing or surveillance camera. The pan-tilt unit includes a base, a rotatable pan platform and a rotatable tilt bed for supporting and selectively orienting the device in a desired direction. The pan platform is rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis, and the tilt bed is rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis. A pan motor and a tilt motor drive the pan platform and the tilt bed in response to control signals that may be provided to the unit across a communication network. The motors may be mounted on the unit to remain stationary relative to the base during panning and tilting operations. The motors may be controlled to rotate in opposite directions to maintain the tilt bed at a fixed tilt angle as the pan platform is rotated about the pan axis. The unit may include a drive shaft rotatably supported along the pan axis to couple the drive motor to the tilt bed.
127 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base and coupled to the pan platform to drive the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and a tilt motor mounted to the base and coupled to the tilt bed to drive the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation; each of the pan motor and the tilt motor being stationary relative to the base during the panning and tilting operations, the pan and tilt motors to be operated in opposite directions to maintain the tilt bed at a fixed tilt angle about the tilt axis as the pan platform rotates about the pan axis during the panning operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to and intersects the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a drive shaft that is rotatably supported along the pan axis and coupled to the tilt bed. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a drive shaft that is rotatably supported along the pan axis and coupled to the tilt bed, the drive shaft being fixed against axial movement along the pan axis.
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14. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatable supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation, the pan drive mechanism including a pan pinion mounted to a shaft of the pan motor and a pan drive gear mounted to the pan platform coaxial with the pan axis, the pan pinion being coupled to the pan drive gear; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a drive shaft that is rotatable supported along the pan axis and coupled to the tilt bed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a drive shaft that is rotatably supported along the pan axis and coupled to the tilt bed, the tilt drive mechanism further including a drive pinion mounted to the drive shaft and a tilt gear mounted to the tilt bed, the drive pinion driving the tilt gear to rotate the tilt bed. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatable supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is transverse to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform about the pan axis during a panning operation; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a drive shaft that is rotatably supported along the pan axis and coupled to the tilt bed, the drive shaft including a lead screw and the tilt drive mechanism further including a cam link that threadedly engages the lead screw so that rotation of the drive shaft drives the cam link along the pan axis, the cam link being pivotally connected to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed as the cam link moves along the pan axis. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A pan-tilt unit for panning and tilting a device, the pan-tilt unit comprising:
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a base; a pan platform rotatably supported on the base about a pan axis; a tilt bed rotatably supported on the pan platform about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the pan axis, the tilt bed being constructed and arranged to support a device thereon; a pan motor mounted to the base; a tilt motor mounted to the base; a pan drive mechanism coupling the pan motor to the pan platform to rotate the pan platform during a panning operation, the pan drive mechanism including a pan pinion mounted to a shaft of the pan motor and a pan drive gear mounted to the pan platform coaxial with the pan axis, the pan pinion being coupled to the pan drive gear; and a tilt drive mechanism coupling the tilt motor to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed during a tilting operation, the tilt drive mechanism including a tilt pinion mounted to a shaft of the tilt motor, a drive shaft rotatably supported along the pan axis, and a tilt drive gear coaxially secured to the drive shaft, the tilt pinion being coupled to the tilt drive gear to rotate the drive shaft about the pan axis, the drive shaft being coupled to the tilt bed to rotate the tilt bed about the tilt axis; each of the pan motor and the tilt motor being stationary relative to the base during the panning and tilting operations, the pan and tilt motors to be operated in opposite directions to maintain the tilt bed at a fixed tilt angle about the tilt axis as the pan platform rotates about the pan axis during the panning operation. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification